This is a model of the Vasa, a ship that was painstakingly built to be the biggest, most elaborate war ship among the european nations.  However, on its first voyage as it was going in the habor, it sunk in front of everybody.  Hundreds died.  It laid in the bottom of the harbor until 1962 when they raised it.  After many years it has been restored as shown below and is housed in a museum under strict temperature control.

The carved figures on the boat, of which there were many, were all painted with colors and goldleafing as the examples show on the left.