Cane with Snake and Lizard

Ben Miller, Cane with Snake and Lizard, ca. 1968, carved, stained, and varnished dogwood or white ash with plastic and felt- tipped pen and ink, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.1
Ben Miller, Cane with Snake and Lizard, ca. 1968, carved, stained, and varnished dogwood or white ash with plastic and felt- tipped pen and ink, 388 181 14 in. (96.520.73.3 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.1

Artwork Details

Title
Cane with Snake and Lizard
Artist
Date
ca. 1968
Dimensions
388 181 14 in. (96.520.73.3 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums Description
carved, stained, and varnished dogwood or white ash with plastic and felt- tipped pen and ink
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — reptile — lizard
  • Animal — reptile — snake
Object Number
1986.65.1

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)

Works by this artist (7 items)

Ben Miller, Cane with Rattlesnakes and Snails, 1991, carved wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Ken and Donna Fadeley in honor of Robert H. Martin, 1991.158.3
Cane with Rattlesnakes and Snails
Date1991
carved wood
On view
Ben Miller, Cane with Snake and Lizard, ca. 1968, carved, stained, and varnished dogwood or white ash with plastic and felt- tipped pen and ink, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.1
Cane with Snake and Lizard
Dateca. 1968
carved, stained, and varnished dogwood or white ash with plastic and felt- tipped pen and ink
On view
Ben Miller, Cane with Rattlesnake, Lizard and Spider, 1982, wood; solvent based felt-tipped marker; plastic resin; Magic Marker, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Ken and Donna Fadeley in honor of Robert H. Martin, 1991.158.1
Cane with Rattlesnake, Lizard and Spider
Date1982
wood; solvent based felt-tipped marker; plastic resin; Magic Marker
On view
Ben Miller, Cane, 1967-1969, carved and varnished wood, felt-tipped marker, and ballpoint pen and ink, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the folk art collection of David L. Davies, 1992.1.4
Cane
Date1967-1969
carved and varnished wood, felt-tipped marker, and ballpoint pen and ink
Not on view