Parnassus, Woven Basket

Copied Diane Sheehan, Parnassus, Woven Basket, 1986, linen and raffia, grass, 8 1⁄2 x 13 x 13 in. (21.6 x 33.0 x 33.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Theodore Cohen in memory of his mother and her sisters: Rose Melmon Cohen, Blanche Melmon, Mary Melmon Greenberg and Fanny Melmon Liberman, 1998.122.21

Artwork Details

Title
Parnassus, Woven Basket
Artist
Date
1986
Location
Dimensions
8 1⁄2 x 13 x 13 in. (21.6 x 33.0 x 33.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Theodore Cohen in memory of his mother and her sisters: Rose Melmon Cohen, Blanche Melmon, Mary Melmon Greenberg and Fanny Melmon Liberman
Mediums
Mediums Description
linen and raffia, grass
Classifications
Object Number
1998.122.21
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1998.122.21

Artwork Description

According to Greek mythology, Mount Parnassus is the home of the Muses and the god Apollo. Diane Sheehan's use of raffia, linen, and grass, all of which are traditional textile-making materials, allowed her to create a basket that echoes the shape of the Greek mountain. Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus is also a white flower that grows near Lake Superior in Wisconsin, where Sheehan lives and works. The overlapping sections in this basket resemble flower petals about to bloom.