Woman and Child

Ernest "Popeye" Reed, Woman and Child, ca. 1980-1985, carved sandstone, 14 ¹⁄₈ × 4 ⁷⁄₈ × 6 ¹⁄₄ in. (35.9 × 12.4 × 15.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Margaret Z. Robson Collection, Gift of John E. and Douglas O. Robson, 2016.38.64

Artwork Details

Title: Woman and Child
Artist: Ernest "Popeye" Reed
Date: ca. 1980-1985
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Luce Foundation Center
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3rd Floor
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26B
Dimensions: 14 ¹⁄₈ × 4 ⁷⁄₈ × 6 ¹⁄₄ in. (35.9 × 12.4 × 15.9 cm)
Credit Line: The Margaret Z. Robson Collection, Gift of John E. and Douglas O. Robson
Mediums Description: carved sandstone
Classifications: Sculpture
Subjects: Figure female — full length
Figure female — nude
Figure group — female and child
Object Number: 2016.38.64
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2016.38.64

Artwork Description

Reed grew up in the Appalachian hill country of southeastern Ohio, earning the nickname “Popeye” for the strong arms he built working with wood and stone. He carved native hardwoods like walnut, and stone including flint, limestone, and sandstone, and over time made thousands of artworks. He was best known for figural works, particularly characters from legend or myth, such as this rendering of Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty, fertility, and prosperity. Reed earned a loyal local and regional following, but wider recognition of his carvings did not come during his lifetime.
(We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection, 2022)