Box with Relief-carved Lid

Copied Unidentified, Box with Relief-carved Lid, late 19th century, carved and painted wood with copper, iron and paper, 7 x 18 3⁄4 x 11 3⁄4 in. (17.8 x 47.6 x 29.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.74
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Artwork Details

Title
Box with Relief-carved Lid
Artist
Unidentified
Date
late 19th century
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
7 x 18 3⁄4 x 11 3⁄4 in. (17.8 x 47.6 x 29.8 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 copper, iron and paper
Classifications
Subjects
  • Architecture — vehicle — carriage
  • Animal — horse
  • Recreation — sport and play — equestrian
  • Figure group — male
Object Number
1986.65.74
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.74

Artwork Description

Folk artists and craftsmen make boxes for both functional and decorative reasons. An unknown artist created this piece in the late nineteenth century and decorated it with a pattern of leaves and symbols. The box’s interior is also decorated: the lid shows a print of two harness racers, while the base has a nostalgic scene of children playing in front of a large house. The heart, diamond, and spade designs on the lid suggest the box was designed to hold playing cards or poker chips.