Staff with Man

Charles Butler, Staff with Man, carved wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., 1998.84.8
Charles Butler, Staff with Man, carved wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., 1998.84.8

Artwork Details

Title
Staff with Man
Artist
Location
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr.
Mediums Description
carved wood
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure male — full length
Object Number
1998.84.8
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1998.84.8

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)

Works by this artist (12 items)

View all artworks
Thornton Dial, Sr., African Jungle Picture: If the Ladies Had Knew the Snakes Wouldn't Bite Them They Wouldn't Have Hurt the Snakes; If the Snakes Had Knew the Ladies Wouldn't Hurt Them They Wouldn't Have Bit the Ladies, 1989, enamel, industrial sealing compound, wire on wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William Arnett, 1992.120
African Jungle Picture: If the Ladies Had Knew the Snakes…
Artist
Date1989
enamel, industrial sealing compound, wire on wood
On view
Thornton Dial, Sr., The Beginning of Life in the Yellow Jungle, 2003, plastic soda bottles, doll, clothing, bedding, wire, found metal, rubber glove, turtle shell, artificial flowers, Splash Zone compound, enamel, and spray paint on canvas on wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Partial gift of Debbie Simon and Tim Grumbacher and museum purchase, 2020.80
The Beginning of Life in the Yellow Jungle
Artist
Date2003
plastic soda bottles, doll, clothing, bedding, wire, found metal, rubber glove, turtle shell, artificial flowers, Splash Zone compound, enamel, and spray paint on canvas on wood
On view
Image Not Available
Trophies (Doll Factory)
Artist
Date2000
dolls, stuffed animals, plastic toys, cloth, tin, rope, carpet, epoxy compound, oil, enamel, spray paint, on canvas on wood
Not on view
Image Not Available
I Had a Dream, A Dream About Heavy Burdens
Artist
Date1991
oil on canvas
Not on view