Elf at Shaving Horse
Dateca. 1900
MediumOak and iron
DimensionsOverall: 33 1/4 x 30 7/8 x 11 3/4in. (84.5 x 78.4 x 29.8cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1980.701.2
DescriptionA freestanding woodcarving of a figure of an elf seated at a shaving horse.Label TextFolk sculpture is remarkable for its surprising variety of themes and subjects. Local events, personal experiences, and common workaday tasks have traditionally been inspirations for the folk artist, but humor and fantasy often played equally important roles. Elf at Shaving Horse combines a working model of a familiar woodworker's tool and a pipe-smoking elf. The sculpture may have been made to display in a carpenter's or another craftsperson's shop to amuse and entertain the customers.
ProvenanceHerbert W. Hemphill, Jr., New York, NY
Exhibition(s)
ca. 1910
ca. 1900
Possibly 1849-1865
1975-1976
Probably 1900-1925
1875-1900
Probably 1915-1930
ca. 1925
1950-1965
1905-1907
1875-1890