The Elephant Who Was Fond of Watermelon

John William ("Uncle Jack") Dey, The Elephant Who Was Fond of Watermelon, 1970s, enamel on masonite, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of David L. Davies, 1992.37.5
John William ("Uncle Jack") Dey, The Elephant Who Was Fond of Watermelon, 1970s, enamel on masonite, 18 3⁄4 x 30 3⁄4 in. (47.6 x 78.1 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of David L. Davies, 1992.37.5

Artwork Details

Title
The Elephant Who Was Fond of Watermelon
Artist
Date
1970s
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
18 3⁄4 x 30 3⁄4 in. (47.6 x 78.1 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of David L. Davies
Mediums
Mediums Description
enamel on masonite
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — bird
  • Figure male — full length
  • Animal — elephant
  • Landscape — plant — watermelon
  • Architecture Exterior — domestic — house
Object Number
1992.37.5
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1992.37.5

Artwork Description

In this painting, "Uncle Jack" Dey has created a brightly colored, imaginative scene by taking animals from different parts of the world and placing them in the same setting. Despite the somewhat whimsical title, the unusually large crows circling overhead and the elephant charging at the man give the painting an ominous feeling. Dey traced the crows, rabbits, and deer onto the canvas with a template, which accounts for their precise shape and size. The log cabin in the background and tree stumps in the foreground recall the artist's days as a lumberjack in Maine.