Marquetry From the Hirschhorn Foundation

8/17/2019 Marquetry From the Hirschhorn Foundation

1/8

he Hirschhorn

Foundation has

given t h e

Museum

o f

Amer i c a n Folk

Art five

o u t s t a n d i n g

examples of American f o l k

m a r q u e t r y ,

t h e f i r s t t o e n t e r t h e Museum's

permanen t c o l l e c t i o n .

Marquetry i s

an

a n c i e n t

t e c h n i q u e o f

rnamenting

f u r n i t u r e

or

o t h e r wo o d s u r f a c e s

w i t h an o v e r l a y o f

wo o d v e n e e r s

a r r a n g e d

i n

p a t t e r n s . Color s

a c h i e v e d

by u s i n g a v a r i e t y o f

w o o d s

or by s t a i n i n g . Marquetry reached a high

p o i n t

i n

I t a l y

i n

the

f i f t e e n t h

century w h e n i t

w a s

described

as

p a i n t i n g i n wood.

During

t h e e i g h t e e n t h

c e n t u r y ,

a t

V e r s a i l l e s

a nd

o t h e r

r o y a l

c e n t e r s ,

m a r q u e t r y

f u r n i t u r e

wa s

G i f t s

o f Marquetry

no

p r e f e r r e d above l l o t h e r

k i n d s , and German

c r a f t s m e n

l e d

t h e f i e l d .

Their d e s c e n d a n t s

brought t h e

t e c h n i q u e t o

t h e

United S t a t e s , where t became p o p u l a r a f t e r t h e

s t a r t o f

t h e

I n d u s t r i a l

R e v o l u t i o n .

T h e

H i r s c h h o r n gi f t s d a t e from

t h e l a s t two decades

of

h e

n i n e t e e n t h

c e n t u r y and t h e f i r s t

two

o f

h e

t w e n t i e t h ,

a p e r i o d

t h a t has been dubbed T h e

Golden Age of America n C a r p e n t r y .

Marquetry s t o o d

i n

o p p o s i t i o n t o

t h e

n ew

i n d u s t r i a l

p r o c e s s e s

o f

h e

n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y .

Machines

d i d not a i d

t h e

l a b o r - i n t e n s i v e p r o c e s s ;

t h e m a r q u e t e r

used

o n l y a

s aw

a nd glue t o achieve

h i s stunning r e s u l t s . Patience

wa s

a n o t h e r n e c e s s a r y

i n g r e d i e n t .

This

c r a f t

r e p r e s e n t e d

a

cot-

4

F LL 998 FOLK

RT


2/8

American

Folk

Art

tage

industry o f the p a s t . Beca use

marquetry

making

r e q u i r e d

g r e a t

expanses

o f r e e

time i n which

t o f i t

t h e

m a n y

hours o f l a b o r needed t o f i n i s h a

p i e c e

the cost

exceeded

what anyone

c o u l d

pay

f o r

i t . A s a r e s u l t w he n

t h e

a r t wa s y o u ng i n Europe

only

m o n k s

c o u l d

a f f o r d t o

p r a c t i c e

i t and

s o

marquetry became t h e p r o p e r t y

of

t h e

Church. L a t e r and

f o r s i m i l a r economic r e a s o n s t

f e l l

under h e

l u x u r i o u s

a u s p i c e s of

h e

r o y a l s

w h o o u l d

a f f o r d

t o commission a r t i s a n s .

In

America marquetry wa s r a r e

even

i n

c o s m o p o l i t a n c e n t e r s

where

h e r e

w a s r e a t w e a l t h

and so

h o s e

who

a d e t

always had

t o

have

means

of

u p -

p o r t o t h e r t h a n t h e s e l l i n g of

h e i r

fancy woodwor k;

h e y

By ichard

M i i h l b e r g e r

l i v e d

o f f

t h e

l a n d

or t h e

s e a worked a s

c a b i n e t m a k e r s or

h ad

o t h e r o r d i n a r y

j o b s . Marquetry

a p p e a l e d

t o them

i n

p a r t

b e c a u s e

i t w a s

not

o s t - e f f e c t i v e .

W h a t

e t t e r

g i f t

f o r s o me-

one s p e c i a l

t h a n something

t h a t

could

never

be

a f f o r d e d ?

Indeed t

wa s

a g i f t t h a t exceeded

t h e

mo d e s t f i n a n c i a l

means of t h e

g i v e r

h i m s e l f .

He o u l d

a f f o r d

t o

m a k e t h e

g i f t

b u t

n o t t o p u r c h a s e t from

a n o t h e r c r a f t s m a n .

R e c e n t l y

f i v e

g i f t s have c o m e t o t h e Museum

of

American

F o l k A r t t h r o u g h the

generosity

o f The

H i r s c h h o r n

F o u n d a t i o n . The y a r e an e l e g a n t

s i d e b o a r d t wo

symbolic p l a q u e s a

unique a l l c l o c k

and an

e x c e p t i o n a l l y

e x u b e r a n t c a b i n e t .

FALL

998

FOLK ART 4


3/8

Sideboard

with

Three

Drawers

over

Two abinets

This s i d e b o a r d comes from n o r t h e r n

Vermont,

rom a camp

c a l l e d I s l e

La

otte, f t e r

t h e

l a r g e s t i s l a n d i n Lake

Cham-

p l a i n . Since 1882,

h e

i s l a n d had been

l i n k e d t o t h e

nearby

c i t y of

Burlington by a b r i d g e and causeways,

making

t

e a s i l y a c c e s s i b l e .

There were

h u n t i n g ,

f i s h i n g ,

and

r e c r e -

a t i o n a l

camps

on h e i s l a n d

and a l l

along t h e

s h o r e s

of

Lake

Champlain, man y of

them

c a t e r i n g

t o a

s u b s t a n t i a l

middle-

c l a s s c l i e n t e l e . To

s s u r e

an a u t h e n t i c atmosphere, t w a s a

u s u a l

p r a c t i c e

f o r camps t o conunission l o c a l craftsmen t o

f a b r i c a t e f u r n i t u r e

f o r

t h e i r lodges and guest rooms.

T h e

I s l e

La Motte s i d e b o a r d i s

d i s t i n g u i s h e d by

i t s

rounded and peaked

backboard,

r a d i a t i n g rhomboids on

drawers and

c a b i n e t

doors, h e o v e r a l l openness

of

t s o r n a -

mental design, and the blond pigmentation of

i t s

woods.

The maker's name has not

y e t been

uncovered, but

the

p i e c e

i s s i m i l a r

t o

Canadian

p a r q u e t r y

(a

form

of marquetry

using

only

s t r a i g h t l i n e s )

of

the

same

period, w h ic h

i s

around 1915.

Masonic

Plaque i n the Form of a aster's Chart

T h e

y e a r 1899 s

w r i t t e n

o n t h e

back

of h i s e x p e r t l y

c r a f t e d

marquetry

p i e c e ; a

c a l e n d a r i s a l s o glued t h e r e .

P r i n t e d on

t h e

c a l e n d a r i s

J.M.

Forbush&

o.,

h e name of an n s u r -

ance agency t h a t

was

n b u s i n e s s i n N a t i c k , M a s s a c h u s e t t s ,

near

Boston, from about

1882

to

some

ime

a f t e r

1905.

James M.

orbush, who worked

f o r t h e

I n t e r n a l

Reven ue

S e r v i c e b e f o r e h e became

an i n s u r a n c e

a g e n t , w a s i s t e d i n

t h e

1890

Natick d i r e c t o r y as

v i c e

p r e s i d e n t

of

h e Natick

Five

Cents Savings

Bank. ason, he e n t e r e d N a t i c k s

Meridian Lodge i n 1871, but withdrew

i n

1894. t

i s

no t

d e f i n i t e l y k n o w n

t h a t

h e w a s t h e maker

of

h e p l a q u e , bu t

h i s i s t h e

only

n am e s s o c i a t e d w i t h

i t

Freemasonry began

i n the Middle

Ages

w h e n

t h e

b u i l d e r s of a t h e d r a l s formed s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s . By h e e a r l y

s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y , they were opened

t o men

not

i n t h e

b u i l d i n g

t r a d e s

who were t a u g h t t h e s e c r e t

s i g n s and l e g -

ends

of

masonry,

nd

took p a r t

i n

i n i t i a t i o n s

and o t h e r g a t h -

e r i n g s . To h i s

day,

Masonry

emphasizes

t h e

e d u c a t i o n of

SIDEBOARD WITH THREE

DRAWERS VER TWO

CABINETS

Maker u n i d e n t i f i e d

Northwestern Vermont

1900-1915

Parquetry

551

0

221

42

FALL 998

FOLK ART


4/8

MASONIC PLAQUE N THE

FORM OF A MASTER'S

CHART

Maker

n i d e n t i f i e d

Probably

N a t i c k ,

Massachusetts

1899

Marquetry,

a r q u e t r y , p r i n t e d

and

p a i n t e d paper

18

3/

1

t s

members

and

uses

symbols and

r i t u a l s

t o impart h e

humanistic

i d e a l s o f h e

f r a t e r n a l o r d e r . Large p a i n t i n g s

c a l l e d

M a s t e r ' s

c h a r t s

i l l u s t r a t e d

t h e

e s o t e r i c

symbolism

of

t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n t o n e o p h y t e s .

By

h e

end

of h e n i n e t e e n t h

c e n t u r y ,

l i t h o g r a p h y

made t p o s s i b l e

t o

produce

and

d i s -

t r i b u t e

t h e s e

c h a r t s

t o

l o d g e s

a c r o s s

t h e

c o u n t r y .

The

a t i c k

m a r q u e t r y

p l a q u e was n s p i r e d b y a a s t e r ' s c h a r t ,

b u t

t

i s

not

of h e t y p e t h a t would be

used

i n a

o d g e .

I n s t e a d , t

p r o b a b l y was

hung i n a

p l a c e of

honor i n t h e hom e of a

Freemason

as a

i g n of r e s t i g e and r i d e .

The

l a b o r a t e

r i t e s and ceremonies

of Freemasonry

u t i l i z e the

t o o l s

o f h e stonemason—the

plumb, e v e l ,

s q u a r e ,

compass, h i s e l , and

m a l l e t ,

n p a r t i c u l a r — w i t h i n a

symbolic s e t t i n g

t h a t r e e n a c t s

t h e

b u i l d i n g of King

S o l o -

mon's Temple

and

h e d e a t h

and

r e s u r r e c t i o n

of

t s

m a s t e r

b u i l d e r , Hiram. Tools r e p i c t u r e d i n t h e r i g h t p a n e l of h e

p l a q u e a l o n g

w i t h

a

e e h i v e , a

symbol of

n d u s t r y and r e -

g e n e r a t i o n , and an h o u r g l a s s .

The

p l a q u e ' s c e n t r a l t a b l e a u

represents

Solomon's Temple b y

the arch

and t wo

columns. i t u a l s were n a c t e d on a

checkered a r p e t ,

s e e n

r e c e d i n g

t o a door h a t opens and

c l o s e s on a

m a l l draw-

i n g of two men.

Gazing

d ow n o n t h i s

i s

t h e All- s e e i n g

Eye, an

emblem

of h e Master

Mason.

A

i e c e

of t o n e was n t r o d u c e d

t o

t h e l e f t middle

p a n e l ,

a

r e f e r e n c e t o

rough

a s h l a r .

D i r e c t l y

below

t

i s

i t s corresponding

p e r f e c t

a s h l a r .

The

s ym b o l

o n th e

o t h e r

s i d e of

h e open

B i b l e d e m o n s t r a t e s

t h e 47th

p r o b -

lem of u c l i d ,

h a t

t h e s q u a r e of h e hypotenuse of a

i g h t

t r i a n g l e

e q u a l s

t h e s u m of h e

s q u a r e s

of h e o t h e r

two

s i d e s .

The

numbers

of

hecks

a c r o s s

each s q u a r e demon-

s t r a t e t h i s

l e s s o n i n geometry

and

a r e

a

reminder

t h a t

t h e

Grand

r c h i t e c t of h e

Universe

made

h e

world c c o r d i n g

t o

p l a n s . The e t t e r G,

i t h t h e f a m i l i a r Masonic

symbol

of

h e compass and q u a r e ,

i s

a n o t h e r

r e f e r e n c e t o geome-

t r y .

These, and t h e o t h e r

symbols

shown

i n t h e

p l a q u e ,

have various l e v e l s of meaning, for

Masonic c u l t u r e

embraced not only everyday

men

but

a l s o those

drawn

from

y s t i c a l c i r c l e s .

FALL

998

FOLK ART


5/8

The o u t e r frame of

h e

p l a q u e

i s a

e m o n s t r a t i o n of

t h e marquetry

maker's

independent v i s i o n . None of t h e

m o t i f s

a r e

d e r i v e d

from e i t h e r t r a d i t i o n a l

or

contemporane-

ous frames, nor d o t h e y r e l a t e t o Masonic

symbolism.

The

side

uprights resemble Crazy Quilt p a t t e r n s , but the

primary d e s i g n source seems

t o be

t h e maker's s t o c k

of

handsome woods

and i s

c r e a t i v e workmanship.

Cenotaph to

Three

Martyred Presidents

This

plaque

commemorates

t h e d e a t h s

of

Abraham Lin-

c o l n , James A.

a r f i e l d ,

and

William

McKinley.

A n i q u e ,

jagged

o u t e r

frame

resembles a u r e o l e s t h a t surround t h e

b o d i e s of a i n t s i n r e l i g i o u s

a r t C o n s i d e r a b l y more down-

t o - e a r t h a r e

t h e

American

l a g s

a t

t h e

peak of

h e

frame and

t h e

m a n y

i n l a i d

block l e t t e r s

t h a t ac company

t h e

p r i n t e d

images of h e s e t h r e e

American p r e s i d e n t s .

Above them i s

w r i t t e n , OURTHREEMARTYRED

RESIDENTS,

nd

below

each p i c t u r e , n crowded columns, r e t h e

p r e s i d e n t s

names

G a r f i e l d

s p e l l e d

w i t h o u t

an e)

a t e s of

h e i r b i r t h s ,

d a t e s

when

t h e y

were

s h o t ,

and

t h e

d a t e s of h e i r d e a t h s .

The p l a q u e u s e s o n l y

t h r e e k i n d s of wood, o n s i s t e n t w i t h

i t s

s i m p l i c i t y

and

t r a i g h t f o r w a r d n e s s .

McKinley

was

a p o p u l a r

p r e s i d e n t , and h i s

d e a t h i n

1901

brought about an u n u s u a l l y g r e a t

o u t p o u r i n g of r i e f .

Since L i n c o l n ,

p r e s i d e n t s were

being

s l a i n a t t h e r a t e of

about

one

e v e r y twenty

y e a r s .

Monuments

a c r o s s t h e l a n d

t o McKinley's

m e m o r y

were

more e l a b o r a t e than t h o s e

c o m m e m o r a t i n g

former

n a t i o n a l

f i g u r e s .

Their e r e c t i o n

seems t o have been

m o t i v a t e d a s m u ch

b y

a d e s i r e t o en d

t h e a s s a s s i n a t i o n s

as

t o

express

sorrow a t

a

p r e s i d e n t s

p a s s i n g .

Although

t h i s

cenotaph

i s

not

d a t e d ,

t

a p p e a r s

t o

be

a

u r a l

e x p r e s s i o n

of n g u i s h

from

t h e

p e r i o d soon

a f t e r

McKinley's e a t h .

Needlework

memorials of e a t h s form a

s t r o n g t r a d i t i o n

i n

American f o l k a r t .

This i s

the

only

known memorial b y a

a r q u e t r y

maker.

T i e r e d

T a l l

Clock

T h i s

i m i t a t i o n

b r i c k t a l l

c l o c k

makes a n o t h e r k i n d

of

om-

ment on m o r t a l i t y . t r e f e r s t o

e a r l i e r

d e s i g n s

of

r a n d f a t h e r

clocks

i n

t h e s c r o l l w o r k of t s bonnet,

but

otherwise i s

e n t i r e l y u n c o n v e n t i o n a l .

American

a l l c a s e

c l o c k s ,

k n o w n

a s g r a n d f a t h e r c l o c k s , were i r s t m a d e n

P e n n s y l v a n i a

and

M a s s a c h u s e t t s around 1695, o l l o w i n g t h e f a m i l i a r

form of

E n g l i s h

models of

1658 and

l a t e r .

They

were produced

i n

CENOTAPH TO

THREE

MARTYRED

PRESIDENTS


U n i t e d

States

A f t e r 1901

Parquetry,

n l a y ,

an d

photographic

images

p r i n t e d on paper

38 31%4 13

44

FALL 998

FOLK

ART


6/8

TIERED

TALL

CLOCK


U n i t e d S t a t e s

c . 1880

P a r q u e t r y ,

m a r q u e t r y ,

and j i g s a w - c u t

openwork

91

25% 14%

( i n c l u d i n g

p i n n a c l e s )

q u a n t i t y d u r i n g t h e e i g h t e e n t h

c e n t u r y and ceased t o be

made

by about

1840. The form was e v i s e d around h e time

of h e C e n t e n n i a l .

This brick

clock d a t e s from

around 1890. The

e n t i r e

case i s covered

i n

w o o d parquetry t h a t i m i t a t e s

b r i c k s

and

h e cement o i n t s between them.

This a b r i c a t i o n

may have been an a c t of

c c e n t r i c i t y o n t h e p a r t of t h e

woodworker,

b ut

i t may

also

have been

intended

t o

enhance

t h e symbolism—he

might have

wished t o l i n k

b r i c k s

w i t h

t h e n o t i o n of

time and

t s

p a s s i n g , i l l u s t r a t e d i n

f i g u r e s on

h e

f r o n t and i d e s

of

h e s t a c k e d

c a s e .

B r i c k i s a

v e r y

d u r a b l e b u i l d i n g m a t e r i a l , a s c h i l d r e n

and

a d u l t s

a l i k e a r e reminded i n t h e

s t o r y

The Three

i t t l e

P i g s , a t a l e t h a t

was c u r r e n t

i n t h e

n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y .

I n

t h i s s t o r y ,

only

t h e

b r i c k

house

withstood t h e Big Bad

Wolf's h u f f i n g and puffmg.

The p a r q u e t r y b r i c k s a r e

com-

b i n e d

w i t h l a r g e i n l a i d

c u t o u t s

of

F a t h e r Time,

a

w a r r i o r

goddess w i t h

an

h o u r g l a s s on h e r

s h i e l d ,

a

d a n c i n g

f i g u r e ,

and a

r u n n i n g

c h i l d wh o

s

p r o b a b l y

F a t h e r

Time's h e l p e r .

The

o m b i n a t i o n

c o n t r a s t s f l e e t i n g

time

w i t h

permanence.

The l o c k was u i l t i n f i v e

s e c t i o n s :

a a s e , h r e e c a b -

i n e t s , and

a

c l o c k crowned by

s c r o l l w o r k

i n l a i d i n t o

a d a r k

background

s o t h a t

i t a p p e a r s t o

be openwork.

The c l o c k i s

crowned i t h

f o u r

t u r n e d-wood i n n a c l e s a t t h e v e r y t o p .

Statue of

i b e r t y Cabinet

This

e l a b o r a t e

c a b i n e t w i t h m i r r o r

combines

marquetry,

carved and p a i n t e d

wood, and

a p p l i e d jigsaw

c u t o u t s

s o

i n t r i c a t e

t h a t they might be c a l l e d w o o d

f i l i g r e e . Tidus

Albrech i s t h e maker's

name

a s

i t a p p e a r s on

an o l d hand-

l e t t e r e d l a b e l

w i t h

a

p h o t o g r a p h

of

h e

c a b i n e t . Because

h e

p r i n t i n g on t h e l a b e l

i s

not r e l a t e d t o German s c r i p t ,

we

might surmise t h a t

i t was

w r i t t e n by

someone

o t h e r

t h a n

Albrech. This could

e x p l a i n what

i s

l i k e l y an

a b e r r a n t

s p e l l i n g , based on p h o n e t i c s , of h e name

T i t u s w i t h a d

used

i n

p l a c e

of

a

t ( t h e r e i s n o Tidus i n German). We

might h e n assume

h a t t h e l a s t

name

was a l s o

m i s s p e l l e d ,

and

s h o u l d be A l b r e c h t .

The c a b i n e t c o n s i s t s of

a

carved and p a i n t e d base

and a

t wo

- d o o r

s t o r a g e

a r e a w i t h

t w o

drawers

above

t

The

upper

s e c t i o n ,

s e t

back above

t h e drawers,

c o n s i s t s

of a

m i r r o r

w i t h

an

a r c h e d t o p .

Cutout f i g u r e s ,

s p i n d l e s , b a l l s ,

and d a n g l i n g

c a r v e d-wood p e n d a n t s s u p p o rt

and

frame t h e

m i r r o r , g i v i n g t h i s

u n u s u a l p i e c e of

u r n i t u r e

an a i r of e l e -

b r a t i o n .

I n d e e d ,

t h e p i c t o r i a l

e l e m e n t s of h e p i e c e a r e a l l

s y m b o l i c a l l y c o n n e c t e d t o

t h e

topmost cutou t—the

S t a t u e

of Liberty—and an American e a g l e e x e c u t e d i n m a r q u e t r y

on

h e

t o p

s u r f a c e

of

h e c a b i n e t .

The

b a s e ,

which e x t e n d s

beyond

t h e

f r o n t and back

of t h e c a b i n e t , f e a t u r e s t h r e e - d i m e n s i o n a l ,

r e a l i s t i c a l l y

p a i n t e d carvings of undulating

leaves and c l u s t e r s

of

b e r r i e s . Four s n a k e s a r e p a r t of h e c o m p o s i t i o n , h e i r

heads

emerging

from

t h e

l e a v e s .

The

o n l y

o t h e r

c a r v e d

p a r t s

of

t h e

c a b i n e t a r e

t h e drawer p u l l s ,

which a r e shaped t o look

l i k e oak

e a v e s and a c o r n s ; t h e y

a r e

u n p a i n t e d .

The s i d e s of h e c a b i n e t a r e masked w i t h

c u t o u t s

of

dancing

women, h i l e

each c a b i n e t door

shows a d e s i g n

t h a t f e a t u r e s a

mandolin

and b i r d s

c u t

from

s h e e t s

of i g h t -

c o l o r e d wood. Each

d a n c i n g w oman b a l a n c e s on

one

o o t ,

her arms

and

hands

h e l d h i g h ,

very mu ch l i k e dancing

bacchantes from

wall

paintings i n Herculaneum,

the

Roman e s o r t t own t h a t was d e s t r o y e d ,

w i t h

Pompeii,

by

t h e e r u p t i o n

of Mt . Vesuvius n A.D.

9.

n

t h e e a r l y

n i n e -

t e e n t h c e n t u r y , t h e r e was g r e a t i n t e r e s t i n t h e a r t

t h a t

was

e x c a v a t e d from t h e s e r i c h

communities

Roman r c h i t e c -

t u r e , f u r n i t u r e ,

and

fashion were

regarded

by many

as

a p p r o p r i a t e models f o r t h e

new

American

R e p u b l i c . The

d a n c i n g

b a c c h a n t e s

were

i r s t

engraved i n 1757 and were

m u c h copied

a f t e r about

1770.

Though

t h e c a b i n e t

d a t e s

from t h e

end

of h e n i n e t e e n t h

c e n t u r y

and not from t h e

p e r i o d when

n e o c l a s s i c a l d e s i g n s were most

p o p u l a r ,

t h e s e

m o t i f s were

everywhere o be

e e n

and

o p i e d .

In t h e hands of T i t u s

A l b r e c h t ,

a n a t o m i c a l , f a c i a l ,

and costume d e t a i l s

of

h e b a c c h a n t e s were s i m p l i f i e d , f o r

he was n t e r e s t e d p r i m a r i l y

i n b e i n g a b l e

t o

saw t h e o v e r a l l

p r o f i l e out of

w o o d

i n

a

s i n g l e

p i e c e . The few d e t a i l s he

gave

t o t h e

f a c e , body,

and

costu me were burned i n t o

t h e

wood

n

narrow l i n e s .

The mandolin p a n e l s , i n c o n t r a s t ,

a r e

not c l a s s i c a l

i n

o r i g i n .

The

i g h t

- s t r i n g

i n s t r u m e n t ,

an

e a r l y e i g h t e e n t h -

FALL 998

FOLK

ART 45


7/8

c e n t u r y

v e r s i o n

of

h e

l u t e ,

was p o p u l a r mainly

i n

s o u t h -

e r n

I t a l y , n e a r t h e l e g e n d a r y

home of

h e b a c c h a n t e s .

The

mandolins

a r e shown

w i t h v i n e s ,

f l o w e r s , and f l y i n g b i r d s

and

b u t t e r f l i e s , l l

of which

symbolize

t h e

joy of i f e

Foot

-powered

jigsaws,

which had been

i n

use

i n

America

s i n c e

t h e

m i d

- 1 8 3 0 s ,

e x p e r i e n c e d g r e a t advances

b y

t h e

e a r l y

1 8 7 0 s ,

when

t h e

Trump

r o t h e r s '

Fleetwood

s c r o l l

saw

competed

w i t h t h e S i n g e r

sewing

machine f o r

p r i d e

of

p l a c e i n

t h e American

home. The jigsaw c u t o u t s

used

t h r o u g h o u t t h i s c a b i n e t seem t o

have c e l e b r a t e d

t h e

l a t e s t technology,

while the

marquetry emble m of t h e

American e a g l e

on

t h e c a b i n e t t o p

depended on

t r a d i t i o n a l

t e c h n i q u e s .

The

e a g l e ,

s u r r o u n d e d b y

a

f i e l d of

diamonds

and s t a r s , f o l l o w s a f a m i l i a r ,

t r a d i t i o n a l f o r m a t . I t s wings

a r e

o u t s p r e a d , t s head s t u r n e d t o

one i d e , and t g r a s p s

an

American

f l a g ,

an

o l i v e b r a n c h , and t h r e e a r r o w s .

I t i s t h e

o n l y

d e s i g n on

t h e

c a b i n e t

t h a t

c o v e r s a

h o r i z o n t a l

p l a n e ;

a l l

t h e

o t h e r s

i l l

v e r t i c a l

s p a c e s .

The

upper

p o r t i o n of h e

c a b i n e t

i s

a s

p e r f e c t l y sym-

m e t r i c a l

a s t h e

lower p a r t .

There

a r e f o u r

p a i r s of d e n t i c a l

f i g u r e s ,

c u t

b y a jigsaw from t h i n

s l a b s of wood. n each

c a s e , one c u t o u t

i s

f l i p p e d over so t h a t t h e

p a i r s

a r e

p r e -

s e n t e d

a s

m i r r o r images.

There

i s a woman

n

a

c l a s s i c a l

g o w n , t a n d i n g on t i p t o e t o

r e a c h

t h e

branch

of

a t r e e , a

nude f a i r y ,

a

t r u m p e t i n g

woman

n

c l a s s i c a l

g a r b ,

and

a

howling dog—a

umorous n s e r t i o n .

S t a r s a r e i n c o r p o r a t e d

i n t o

t h e d e s i g n s , and more

s t a r s a p p e a r a t t h e v e r y t o p of

t h e p i e c e . There,

a

h a l o of

them s p r i n g s from a r i a n g u l a r

f o l i a t e

d e s i g n t h a t

r i s e s

from

t h e

c e n t e r of

h e c a b i n e t

l i k e a Tree of

i f e .

This c i r c l e

of

s t a r s

s e t s

o f f

a

u t o u t f i g u r e of

h e

S t a t u e of

i b e r t y .

Under

h e r

f e e t i s

a

c r e s c e n t m o o n

w i t h

a s t a r i n

i t s

c e n t e r .

The

o v e r a l l image i s not u n l i k e t h e

d e s c r i p t i o n

penned

b y S t .

John t h e Divine i n

Chapter 12 of h e Book

of

e v e l a t i o n :

a woman l o t h e d w i t h t h e

s u n , w i t h t h e m o o n under h e r

f e e t

and

t w e l v e

s t a r s

a t

h e r h e a d .

The

m o o n

and

s t a r i s

a l s o

D e t a i l

of

STATUE

OF IBERTY

CABINET

Marquetry

is

l i m i t e d

to the top

surface of the c a b i n e t , where

an American

eagle is shown

against a f i e l d of d iamon ds

an d

s t a r s .

The

eagle

is

de-

p i c t e d as n the

o f f i c i a l

design

f o r

the Great

Seal o f the

n a t i o n since 1782: ts

wings

are outspread and t clutches

an

American

l a g , three

arrows, and an l i v e branch.

8

FALL 998 FOLK ART


8/8

D e t a i l o f

STATUE OF LIBERTY

CABINET

The

dancing

bacchante,

f i g u r e borrowed

from

an

a n c i e n t s o u r c e , s

s y m b o l i -

c a l l y l i n k e d

t o

t h e S t a t u e

o f

L i b e r t y

a t the top

f

t h e c a b i -

n e t . The dancer

e l e b r a t e s

t h e d e d i c a t i o n o f t h e

m on u men t.

STATUE

OF

LIBERTY CABINET

T i d u s

A l b r e c h

I c o r T i t u s

A l b r e c h t )

V i c i n i t y o f S t . L o u i s ,

M i s s o u r i

c .

1886-1890

M a r q u e t r y , c a r v e d an d

p a i n t e d w o o d , n d

i g s a w

w o o d

c u t o u t s

77

3

0

3

1

a

symbol of s l a m ,

b u t h e r e

i t i s

l i k e l y

t h e

symbol

of h e

E a s t e r n S t a r ,

t h e women's branch of

Masonry—Albrecht

m a y have

m a d e h e

c a b i n e t f o r a w o m a n

who elonged t o

t h i s a u x i l i a r y .

The t a t u e o f i b e r t y w as e d i c a t e d i n 1886, u t h e r

image w as w e l l k n o w n a

dozen

y e a r s or m o r e

b e f o r e

t h e n

t h r o u g h

f u n d - r a i s i n g

e f f o r t s .

The

French pledged

t o

g i v e

t h e

s t a t u e

t o t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s ,

and t h e

p e o p l e

o f

America

took

o n t h e

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

f o r t h e m o n u m e n t a l

base

o n

which i t

w o uld

s t a n d .

In

1871, the s c u l p t o r Frederic-

Auguste a r t h o l d i

b r o u g h t

a

model

of h e work and

a

c o m -

p l e t e d a r m of i b e r t y t o

America

and t o u r e d them a c r o s s

t h e

n a t i o n

as a

w a y t o

g e n e r a t e i n t e r e s t i n t h e

c o l o s s u s .

By

h e e a r l y 1880s, i x - a n d twelve

- i n c h

r e p l i c a s o f h e

s t a t u e were s o l d

t o

r a i s e

c o n s t r u c t i o n f u n d s .

E v e n t u a l l y ,

121,000

Americans c o n t r i b u t e d

t o

t h e

Franco

-American

f r i e n d s h i p p r o j e c t .

The l a s s i c a l costumes

w o r n

b y h e s i x w o m e n who

g r a c e t h e c a b i n e t seem t o

have

been

s e l e c t e d

a s

a

comple-

m e n t o L a dy L i b e r t y ' s

costume,

which i s d e r i v e d f r o m

a n c i e n t

images

o f Athena,

h e a n c i e n t

Greek goddess

of

w isdo m and t h e a r t s .

Snakes were

s a c r e d t o Athena,

so

h e

p r e s e n c e

o f o u r of hem i n

t h e b a s e of

h e c a b i n e t

m a y be

p a r t

of a a r g e r

i c o n o g r a p h y

scheme

e v o l v i n g

around L a d y

Liberty.

Early

o n , the

s t a t u e

w a s

known as Liberty

E n l i g h t e n i n g

t h e World,

m aking her t h e

Athena of

h e

New orld.

The dancing

g i r l s

a l s o have an i n t e r e s t i n g c l a s s i ca l

pedigree.

They are b acch antes , revelers dev o ted t o

Bacchus, h e g o d

o f

h e

grape. Their a s s o c i a t i o n with

Bacchus, owever, a s o s t

t h e

day

h e y

were copied fr om

t h e w a l l s of a

v i l l a

i n

Herculaneum, engraved, and i n c o r -

p o r a t e d

i n t o t e x t i l e s a n d o t h e r f o r ms o f ornamentation.

T i t u s Albrecht,

i k e

o t h e r s

who

we re

f a m i l i a r

w i t h t h e

d e s i g n , n o

doubt

saw them

a s

c l a s s i c a l d a n c e r s , joyously

c e l e b r a t i n g l i f e or

o ne of

t s s p e c i a l o c c a s i o n s .

This p e r -

c e p t i o n

o f

h e dancing g i r l s i s m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h e i r

a c t u a l

symb ol ism,

u s t as t h e

Athena

connection t o t h e

S t a t u e

o f

L i b e r t y

i s secondary

t o t h e

c l e a r

c e l e b r a t o r y

n a t u r e

o f

h e c a b i n e t i t s e l f

Under h e

w a t c h f u l

eyes of h e

f a i r i e s ,

i t

combines

t h e

American

e a g l e

and

t h e S t a t u e

o f

L i b e r t y

w i t h

mandolins,

i r d s , d a n c e r s , and

m u s i c i a n s

i n a

paean

t o

p a t r i o t i s m .

T i t u s A l b r e c h t

went even u r t h e r

t h a n

t h a t . With h i s f i l i g r e e and d a n g l e s , he caused t h e c a b i n e t

i t s e l f t o dance n c e l e b r a t i o n of Freedom.

These

w o o d

o b j e c t s were g i f t e d b e f o r e . Each o ne

w a s n j o y e d and

c a r e f u l l y

c a r e d f o r . Bu t h i s g i v i n g i s t h e

g r e a t e s t

one.

These

x t r a o r d i n a r y

examples o f

o l k c a r p e n -

t r y , t h r o u g h t h e Museum of American Folk A r t ' s s t e w a r d -

s h i p , n o w b e l o n g

t o

e v e r y o n e .

R i c h a r d M i i h l b e r g e r h a s

w r i t t e n

t h i r t e e n b o o k s

n

t h e l a s t i v e

y e a r s , e l e v e n

of

h e m

i n

c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h

T h e

M e t r o p o l i t a n

Museum of r t . H e s c u r a t o r of

M a s t e r p i e c e s

n

Wood:

m e r i c a n

F o l k M a r q u e t r y rom T h e H i r s c h h o r n F o u n d a t i o n ,

o n

v i e w a t

t h e

Museum

of

m e r i c a n F o l k

A r t

rom

O c t o b e r 3 ,

1 9 9 8 , t o

J a n u a r y

1 0 , 1 9 9 9 , and

h e

a u t h o r of

h e

a c c o m p a n y i n g

e x h i b i t i o n c a t a l o g .

Documents

Marquetry From the Hirschhorn Foundation