lay figure

English
Lay figure attributed to Albrecht Dürer

Noun

lay figure (plural lay figures)

  1. A jointed model of the human body used by artists, or to display clothes.
    • 1828, JT Smith, Nollekens and His Times, Century Hutchinson, published 1986, page 243:
      ‘I have a great mind to break all your gashly images about the head of your fine Miss, in her silks and satins;’—mistaking his lay-figure for a living model of the highest sort.
    • 1984, Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac, Penguin, published 2016, page 76:
      ‘I rather thought I was useful as an audience, but only as a lay figure is useful to a painter: both can be put aside when no longer required.’
  2. An unimportant person; a character (especially in fiction) lacking individuality.

Synonyms

Translations
jointed model — see dummy
unimportant person — see Joe Average
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