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
Copied 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, 38 x 8 1⁄8 x 1 1⁄4 in. (96.5 x 20.7 x 3.3 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
Location
Dimensions
38 x 8 1⁄8 x 1 1⁄4 in. (96.5 x 20.7 x 3.3 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved, stained, and varnished dogwood or white ash with plastic and felt- tipped pen and ink
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — reptile — snake
  • Animal — reptile — lizard
Object Number
1986.65.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/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)