Cane with Bear, Snake, and Man

Unidentified, Cane with Bear, Snake, and Man, probably 20th century, 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, 1986.65.11
Copied Unidentified, Cane with Bear, Snake, and Man, probably 20th century, carved and painted wood with metal, 33 x 4 3⁄8 x 2 in. (83.7 x 11.0 x 5.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.11
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Artwork Details

Title
Cane with Bear, Snake, and Man
Artist
Unidentified
Date
probably 20th century
Location
Dimensions
33 x 4 3⁄8 x 2 in. (83.7 x 11.0 x 5.0 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 metal
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure group — male
  • Animal — bear
  • Animal — reptile — snake
  • Animal — reptile — turtle
Object Number
1986.65.11
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.11

Artwork Description

Artists decorate canes with a wide variety of images, from traditional carvings of snakes and birds, to nude women, political figures, and celebrities. Some artists highlight the natural shape of the wood by applying relief designs onto twisted branches and roots, while others carve three-dimensional shapes into the shaft. Images of animals are the most popular decoration, but many canes also show patriotic, fraternal, and political themes. (George Meyer, American Folk Art Canes, 1992)