Unidentified, Cane with Head and Geometric Inlay, probably 20th century, carved, inlaid, painted, and stained walnut, 36 3⁄8 x 1 3⁄8 x 1 3⁄8 in. (92.4 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.10
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Cane with Head and Geometric Inlay
- Artist
- Unidentified
- Date
- probably 20th century
- Location
- Dimensions
- 36 3⁄8 x 1 3⁄8 x 1 3⁄8 in. (92.4 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm.)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- carved, inlaid, painted, and stained walnut
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Figure — head
- Object Number
- 1986.65.10
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)
