Eagle

DatePossibly 1850-1875

MediumPine wood and paint

DimensionsOverall: 31 3/4 x 25 1/2 x 22in. (80.6 x 64.8cm)

Credit LineFrom the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Collection; Gift of David Rockefeller

Object number1932.701.2

DescriptionA large, freestanding, carved and painted wood sculpture of an eagle standing on a log with its wings spread, the body black, the head and neck white.
Label TextThroughout the nineteenth century, many builders and architects incorporated exterior architectural ornaments representing eagles into their designs. Symbolizing the republic's strength, pride, and vigilance, eagles were deemed fitting decoration for buildings intended for both governmental and commercial use. Many of these eagles were made of cast iron, but others were carved from wood and either painted or gilded.
The condition of this eagle suggests it may have been intended as a free-standing interior architectural embellishment. The artist's woodcarving skill can be seen in the use of detailed overlapping, scalloped feathers on the eagle's head, which draw attention to its fearsome expression.
ProvenanceFound in Hartford, Conn., and purchased by Edith Gregor Halpert, Downtown Gallery, New York, NY; purchased from Halpert by Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in 1932; given to the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, by Rockefeller in 1939; transferred from the MoMA to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, in 1949; purchased from the Metropolitan Museum of Art by David Rockefeller and given by him to CWF in 1955.