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As with so much American folk art, the maker of this pictorial carving and its origins is unknown. The piece, rife with untold symbolism, features a statue of Lady Liberty in neoclassical dress to the left, armed with a sword in one hand and a stars-and-stripes shield in the other. Another prominent, unidentified female statue appears on the right in a similar flowing gown, carrying a sword in her left hand and the head of a female in her right hand. In the midst of these feminine creatures, prospectors attack a bear that seems to have just leapt from its cave. A tree grows above the figures, while an owl, accompanied by playful squirrels, perches on one of its branches. In the background, a train chugs past, heading West. Two anthropomorphic half-moons frame the top corners of the carving. The piece is enclosed by an ornately-carved frame adorned with oak leaves and acorns. A date of 1890 appears prominently on the bottom of the piece. As the carving references the west, and westward expansion, the piece may have been made in California. Wood carving courtesy of Ian Berke. See "#AmericanFolkArt: An Enduring Legacy", on display, pre-security, in the International Terminal. http://bit.ly/AmericanFolkArt
This image was posted on February 01, 2018.