Animal Sculpture in the Folk Tradition

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Animal Sculpture in the Folk Tradition

May 28 - July 24, 2005

(above: Unidentified artist, Standing Dalmatian, c. 1880-1890, wood and paint. Private Collection)

The Brandywine River Museum is presenting Animal Sculpture in the Folk Tradition, an exhibition bringing together outstanding examples of folk sculpture from museums and private collections. It opens with the Volunteers' Antiques Show on May 28 and continues through July 24, 2005.

The term "folk art" was coined by artists and collectors in the early 20th century to describe an array of traditional and beautifully decorated, yet common, objects. They believed that in these objects the true origins of American art resided. Simple in form, the items often express the maker's strong sense of design, imagination and innovation. Over time, some types of folk-carved and embellished household items were transformed from merely decorative items into sculptural works of art. (right: Herter's Company,Waseca, Minnesota, Great Horned Owl, c. 1940, balsa wood, paint, glass and claw. Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art. In the past, farmers believed that crows destroyed crops. This hand-finished owl decoy was manufactured by the Herter's Company to lure crows within shotgun range.)

Much carved wooden sculpture was created by farmers, carpenters, sailors and tradesmen in their leisure hours. The objects often decorated their homes or were presented as gifts. Consequently, many works were not signed, and the makers of existing folk sculpture are frequently anonymous.

Artists looked to the ordinary for subject matter, and they used everyday tools to carve the forms of animals with which they were familiar. This exhibition presents a fascinating selection of such folk sculpture, encouraging an examination of diverse carving styles and creative designs.

The eagle was a favorite theme for carvers, including one of the most noted folk sculptors of the 19th century, Wilhelm Schimmel (1817-1890). His eagles vary in size from mere inches to several feet. Eagles were his signature pieces, but Schimmel is also known for representations of other animals such as roosters, parrots and lions.

Birds frequently appeared in Pennsylvania-German art. A bird tree is a sculpture that places intricately carved birds of various species within the framework of a highly stylized, yet often lavishly carved treelike support. The bird tree in the exhibition is an excellent example from the late 19th century. The birds, painted in reds, yellows, browns and blacks, are attached to the ornate tree with coils of wire, allowing them to bob gently on the branches when the tree is moved.

Since medieval times, the rabbit has been associated with rebirth and fertility and, like the bird, is a harbinger of spring in rural communities. Pennsylvania-German farmers depicted the rabbit in chalkware, paintings, wood carvings and other media used by folk artists. The large, wooden rabbit in the exhibition is purely decorative. (left: Wilhelm Schimmel (1817-1890), Eagle, c. 1870-1890, wood and paint. Collection of the Brandywine River Museum. Gift in honor of Harry G. Haskell by his family, 1993. Declared the national emblem by the Continental Congress in 1782, the eagle was a favorite theme of carvers. The eagle was the signature form of Wilhelm Schimmel, one of the foremost folk carvers of the 19th century.)

Many folk artists focused on single objects that took advantage of the natural, undulating forms they found in tree roots and, with minimal sculpting, polishing, and painting, created root snakes. The root snake in the exhibition is painted with a beautiful, spotted pattern, and its charm is heightened by a protruding red leather tongue.

Edgar Alexander McKillop (1879-1950) was known for a wide range of carvings using walnut wood which he enhanced with bone teeth and glass eyes. Animals were his favorite theme; his highly finished yet chunky carvings emphasize the inherent qualities of his subjects. His squirrel is a fine example of his stylized carving.

Gray Eagle, a Native-American artist, created objects that are faithful to animals' natural shapes. Gray Eagle's carving of a green, yellow and red box turtle was used as an ice fishing decoy. It is a notable feature of the exhibition, as is another decoy, the Great Horned Owl, originally created by the Herter's Company of Waseca, Minnesota. The solid form of the owl is painted with brown horizontal striations that resemble ruffled breast feathers. The wide glass eyes and sharp beak give the figure a predatory air.

The animal most often represented in American folk art is the dog. The carver of the Dalmatian here clearly captured the dog's energetic pose. Alert and ready to play, the mouth is parted in an amiable smile, and the tail is captured in mid-wag.

Whether created to while away leisure hours, for decoration, or for utilitarian purposes, all of the works included in Animal Sculpture in the Folk Tradition demonstrate the whimsical charm and diverse beauty of folk sculpture.

Exhibit wall text

The term "folk art" was coined by artists and collectors of the 20th century to describe an array of traditional and beautifully decorated, yet common, objects. They believed that the origins of American art resided in these diverse objects, including carved wooden sculpture.

Farmers, carpenters, sailors, tradesmen, and other folk in the 19th and early 20th centuries produced carvings during their leisure hours or "off-season" and used them to decorate their homes or presented them as gifts. Consequently, many of the works were not signed; the makers of existing folk sculpture are frequently anonymous.

Carvers looked to the ordinary for subject matter. Using everyday tools, they often formed the shapes of animals with which they were familiar. Some created highly detailed figures. Others took advantage of the natural forms of wood. Some embellished sculptures with paint, leather, glass, metal, or organic materials. All, however, worked to capture the essence of various animals and produced seemingly endless variations that display imagination, innovation, and whimsical charm.

Exhibit object labels

Unidentified artist

Monkey, c. 1900

Wood, paint, glass, rope and nails

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

The face of this carved monkey seems eerily human, differing from the human visage only because of the piercing gaze of its marble eyes and its snarling mouth filled with sharp teeth. The holes in its hands suggest that the monkey may have originally hung from a rope or pole, perhaps as part of a circus scene.

Unidentified artist (Great Lakes Region)

Monkey, c. 1925-1950

Wood, paint, stain, leather and nails

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Robert Bishop

Artist Unknown

Squirrel, c. 1930

Carved wood, varnish and beads

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

Edgar Alexander McKillop

Squirrel, 1928-1935

Carved walnut, ivory and glass

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Purchased with the Joseph E. Temple Fund and the Butler Family Fund, 1998

Edgar Alexander McKillop

Mountain Lion, c. 1935-1938

Black walnut and yellow glass

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Gift of Melanie Gill in memory of her husband, Robert Lee Gill, and in honor of Jack L. Lindsey

Edgar Alexander McKillop began carving after receiving the wood of four black-walnut trees. Animals were his favorite theme. His highly finished yet chunky carvings seem to be caricatures that emphasize the inherent characteristics of his subjects.

Herter's Company, Waseca, Minnesota

Great Horned Owl, c. 1940

Balsa wood, paint, glass and claw

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

In the past, farmers believed that crows destroyed crops. This hand-finished owl decoy was manufactured by the Herter's Company to lure crows within shotgun range.

Unidentified artist (Maine)

Owl, early 20th century

Wood, paint and leather

Collection of Kate Manko, Moody, Maine

Unidentified artist

Owl, mid 19th century

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Unidentified artist (Maine)

Deer, c. 1880

Wood, nails, paint and glue

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

Unidentified artist

Groundhog, c. 1800-1850

Pine, paint, leather and resin

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Titus C. Geesey Collection, 1955

Unidentified artist (Maine)

Bear on a Log, 1930s

Various woods

Collection of Kate Manko, Moody, Maine

Unidentified artist (Michigan)

"Watermelon" Fish Lure, 1940s

Wood, paint and tin

Collection of Kristina Johnson

Unidentified artist (Michigan)

Button Fish, 1930s

Wood, paint, shells, and buttons

Collection of Kristina Johnson

Unidentified artist

Fish Weathervane, 19th century

Wood, paint, gilding, copper fins and glass

Private Collection

The fish was a common theme among the artists of New England, the Midwest and other areas where fishing industries ensured a livelihood. In addition to their use as fishing decoys, fish forms were the subjects of trade signs and weather vanes.

Unidentified artist

Black Stallion, 1930s

Wood and paint

Collection of Kristina Johnson

Unidentified artist

White Stallion, 1930s

Wood and paint

Collection of Kristina Johnson

Unidentified artist

Flying Horse, late 19th century

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Unidentified artist

Thoroughbred Horse, late 19th century

Wood and paint

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

Because it was an integral part of life, the horse was often the theme of trade signs, weathervanes, children's toys and decorative carvings.

Wilhelm Schimmel (1817-1890)

Rooster, 1860-1890

Pine and paint

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Ralph Esmerian

Unidentified artist

Walking Rooster, 19th century

Wood, paint and leather

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Dorothea and Leo Rabkin

Unidentified artist

Turtle, 19th century

Wood and paint

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. in the name of Neal Adair Prince

Gray Eagle (Midwest)

Tortoise Decoy, 20th century

Wood and paint

Collection of Kristina Johnson

This turtle was used as a "confidence decoy" by ice-fishermen. The presence of a turtle - normally a timid reptile known to retreat from any perceived threat - would install a false sense of security in fish and lure them to the bait.

Unidentified artist (Pennsylvania)

Rabbit, c. 1870

Wood and paint

Collection of Andrea S. Keogh Works of Art, LLC

Aaron Augustus "Gus" Wilson

Spring Robin, c. 1910

Wood, paint and metal legs

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

A lighthouse keeper and renowned decoy carver, Aaron Augustus "Gus" Wilson also carved songbirds and other animals throughout his life. This robin's slightly parted, incised beak is characteristic of Wilson's realistically detailed style.

Unidentified artist (Nantucket Island, Massachusetts)

Penguin Gatepost Ornament, 1890-1920

Wood and paint

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Bequest of Winifred P. Eichler

Unidentified artist (Pennsylvania)

Bird Tree, late 19th century

Wood, paint and wire

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Fine

In agrarian societies birds were associated with the coming of spring and the revival of dormant land. Because birds were an important symbol of rebirth, bird trees often were given as gifts to celebrate a child's birth or as tokens of affection.

John Scholl (1827-1916)

Birdbath with Five Eggs, c. 1900

Wood and paint

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Cordelia Hamilton, Dr. and Mrs. Lester Blum, Murray Eig, and William Engvick

A carpenter by trade, John Scholl whittled all his life. His carvings typically combine familiar architectural features with traditional Pennsylvania-German symbols.

Unidentified artist

Pigeon, 19th century

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Wilhelm Schimmel (1817-1890)

Eagle, c. 1870-1890

Wood and paint

Collection of the Brandywine River Museum

Gift in honor of Harry G. Haskell by his family, 1993

Declared the national emblem by the Continental Congress in 1782, the eagle was a favorite theme of carvers. The eagle was the signature form of Wilhelm Schimmel, one of the foremost folk carvers of the 19th century.

Unidentified artist

Eagle (Pilot House Ornament), 3rd quarter of the 19th century

Wood

Collection of Olenka and Charles Santore

Unidentified artist (Pennsylvania)

Parrot, mid-19th century

Wood and paint

Collection of Olenka and Charles Santore

"Schtolschnitzler" Simmons (active 1885-1910)

Two Parakeets, c. 1900

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Although the parrot seems a strange subject for a 19th century carver, the Carolina Parroquet once ranged as far north as Pennsylvania. This bird, now thought to be extinct, was the only parrot native to eastern North America.

Unidentified artist

Dog Chasing a Raccoon

Wood and paint

Collection of Kristina Johnson

Unidentified artist

Standing Dalmatian, c. 1880-1890

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Unidentified artist (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

Seated Dalmatian, c. 1880

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Unidentified artist (New England)

Standing Dog, late 19th century

Wood and paint

Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York

Gift of Kristina Barbara Johnson

Whether depicted hunting, playing, or just sitting, the dog was a favorite subject of carvers and is the most represented animal in American folk art.

Wilhelm Schimmel (1817-1890)

Lion, 1870-1880

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Wilhelm Schimmel, especially known for his carvings of eagles, parrots, and roosters, occasionally carved more exotic animals. Carved in his typical broad, rough style, this lion is an unusual subject within his body of work.

Unidentified artist

Lion, 19th century

Wood and paint

Private Collection

Unidentified artist

Lamb, late 19th century

Wood, paint and metal

Private Collection

Unidentified artist

Root Snake, late 19th century

Wood, paint and leather

Private Collection

Unidentified artist

Dotted Root Snake, late 19th century

Wood and paint

Milwaukee Art Museum: The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art

The craftsmen who created "root snakes" took advantage of the natural, undulating forms of tree roots. With minimal carving, polishing, and painting, they thus created convincing reptiles.

(above left: Unidentified artist (Pennsylvania), Rabbit, c. 1870, wood and paint. Collection of Andrea S. Keogh Works of Art, LLC; above right: Edgar Alexander McKillop, Squirrel, 1928-1935, carved walnut, ivory and glass. Philadelphia Museum of Art: Purchased with the Joseph E. Temple Fund and the Butler Family Fund, 1998)

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