Penguin

Copied Augustus Aaron Wilson, Penguin, ca. 1900-1940, carved and painted wood with metal, 19 5⁄8 x 9 7⁄8 x 9 in. (50.0 x 25.1 x 23.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.386

Artwork Details

Title
Penguin
Artist
Attributed to Augustus Aaron Wilson
Date
ca. 1900-1940
Location
Dimensions
19 5⁄8 x 9 7⁄8 x 9 in. (50.0 x 25.1 x 23.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved and painted wood with metal
Classifications
Keywords
  • Animal — bird — penguin
Object Number
1986.65.386
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.386

Artwork Description

The Nantucket Yacht Club used these two penguins as fence post ornaments. Augustus Wilson carved the wooden birds using simple tools, including a Boy Scout knife from the five-and-dime store, a handsaw, a hatchet, and a chisel to shape the bodies and outline the wings.