Staff with Man

Charles Butler, Staff with Man, carved wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., 1998.84.8
Copied Charles Butler, Staff with Man, carved wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., 1998.84.8

Artwork Details

Title
Staff with Man
Artist
Location
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr.
Mediums Description
carved wood
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure male — full length
Object Number
1998.84.8
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1998.84.8

Artwork Description

Artists decorate canes with a wide variety of images, from traditional carvings of snakes and birds, to nude women, political figures, and celebrities. Some artists highlight the natural shape of the wood by applying relief designs onto twisted branches and roots, while others carve three-dimensional shapes into the shaft. Images of animals are the most popular decoration, but many canes also show patriotic, fraternal, and political themes. (George Meyer, American Folk Art Canes, 1992)