Quatrefoil Lidded Shaker Cat Head Basket with Handle

John E. McGuire, Quatrefoil Lidded Shaker Cat Head Basket with Handle, 1992, black ash and white oak, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Martha G. Ware and Steven R. Cole, 2011.47.46A-B
John E. McGuire, Quatrefoil Lidded Shaker Cat Head Basket with Handle, 1992, black ash and white oak, 1211 189 78 in. (30.428.225.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Martha G. Ware and Steven R. Cole, 2011.47.46A-B

Artwork Details

Title
Quatrefoil Lidded Shaker Cat Head Basket with Handle
Date
1992
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
1211 189 78 in. (30.428.225.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Martha G. Ware and Steven R. Cole
Mediums
Mediums Description
black ash and white oak
Classifications
Object Number
2011.47.46A-B

Artwork Description

The utilitarian crafts of the Shakers have inspired many modern and contemporary designers. Viewing decoration as a form of hubris, the Shakers put their "hands to work, hearts to God," approaching craftsmanship as a form of worship. This Shaker-style basket by John McGuire is a perfect example of beauty derived from unadorned functional form.

Connections: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery, 2019

Works by this artist (2 items)

Sophie Rivera, Untitled, 1978, printed 2006, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2011.24.2, © 1978, Sophie Rivera
Untitled
Date1978, printed 2006
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Sophie Rivera, Untitled, 1978, printed 2006, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2011.24.1, © 1978, Sophie Rivera
Untitled
Date1978, printed 2006
gelatin silver print
Not on view

Related Books

Baskets_500.jpg
A Measure of the Earth
A Measure of the Earth provides an window into the traditional basketry revival of the past fifty years. Nicholas Bell’s essay details the longstanding use of traditional fibers, such as black ash, white oak, willow, and sweetgrass and the perseverance of a select few to harvest these elements—the land itself—for the enrichment of daily life. Drawing on conversations with basketmakers from across the country and reproducing many of their documentary photographs, Bell offers an intimate glimpse of their lifeways, motivations, and hopes. Lavish illustrations of every basket in the exhibition convey the humble, tactile beauty of these functional vessels.

Exhibitions

Media - 2016.11 - SAAM-2016.11_6 - 124929
Connections: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery
November 13, 2015March 6, 2022
Connections is the Renwick Gallery’s dynamic ongoing permanent collection presentation, featuring more than 80 objects celebrating craft as a discipline and an approach to living differently in the modern world.

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