Your Life Is a Book and Every Day Is a Page

Elijah Pierce, Your Life Is a Book and Every Day Is a Page, 1973, carved and painted wood with glitter, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.261
Elijah Pierce, Your Life Is a Book and Every Day Is a Page, 1973, carved and painted wood with glitter, 17 3⁄4 x 27 1⁄8 x 1 1⁄4 in. (45.1 x 68.9 x 3.2 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.261

Artwork Details

Title
Your Life Is a Book and Every Day Is a Page
Artist
Date
1973
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
17 3⁄4 x 27 1⁄8 x 1 1⁄4 in. (45.1 x 68.9 x 3.2 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved and painted wood with glitter
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • African American
  • Allegory — religion — salvation
  • Object — flower
  • Religion — angel
Object Number
1986.65.261
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.261

Artwork Description

Elijah Pierce believed we have to live our lives properly every single day in order to achieve salvation. He claimed to have many visions, and this carving shows one in which God said to him: "Elijah, your life is a book. And every day is a page . . . and one day that book will be read to you and you can't deny it because you’ve written it" (June Donmoyer, "Elijah Pierce: Woodcarver," Antique Review Preview, August 1985, and Judith Fradin, "Adapting to the New World," Footsteps, n.d.). Pierce carved an eye and an ear in the top corner of the panel to show that God is all-knowing, while the two angels in paradise represent God's reward for the faithful.

Works by this artist (5 items)

View all artworks
Elijah Pierce, Christ Carrying the Cross, ca. 1972, carved, painted and varnished wood with glitter mounted on painted corrugated cardboard with paper collage, painted stones and glitter, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.260
Christ Carrying the Cross
Artist
Dateca. 1972
carved, painted and varnished wood with glitter mounted on painted corrugated cardboard with paper collage, painted stones and glitter
On view
Elijah Pierce, Elephant, ca. 1978, painted and carved wood, pebbles, plastic, and rhinestone, Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Margaret Z. Robson Collection, Gift of John E. and Douglas O. Robson, 2016.38.60
Elephant
Artist
Dateca. 1978
painted and carved wood, pebbles, plastic, and rhinestone
Not on view
Elijah Pierce, Your Life Is a Book and Every Day Is a Page, 1973, carved and painted wood with glitter, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.261
Your Life Is a Book and Every Day Is a Page
Artist
Date1973
carved and painted wood with glitter
Not on view
Elijah Pierce, Peace with Honor, 1973, painted wood, glitter, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of David L. Davies, 1992.37.4
Peace with Honor
Artist
Date1973
painted wood, glitter
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

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Derek Webster, Untitled (Large Figure), 1984, painted wood with plastic, putty, and metal, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.93
Untitled (Large Figure)
Artist
Date1984
painted wood with plastic, putty, and metal
On view
Image Not Available
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Date1983
carved and painted wood
Not on view
Augustus Aaron Wilson, Penguin, ca. 1900-1940, carved and painted wood with metal, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.386
Penguin
Artist
Dateca. 1900-1940
carved and painted wood with metal
On view
Patsy Billups, Hex Sign Panel, 1974, house paint on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., 1998.84.6
Hex Sign Panel
Artist
Date1974
house paint on plywood
Not on view