DepartmentUnited States & Canada

Garden of Eden

NameSculpture

Artist Artist Not Recorded

Date20th Century

Place madeKENTUCKY, United States, North America

Mediumwood, metal, plastic, paint, fishing line

Dimensions33 7/16 × 15 3/4 × 13 in. (85 × 40 × 33 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift of Mary Anne and Bruce Larsen, A.2019.8.1

Terms

value (economic concept)

Object numberA.2019.8.1

ProvenanceSandy Besser donated the piece to an auction at the Museum of International Folkart, from which is was purchased by the donors. The auction probably took place bewtwwn 2002 and 2008; via phone cal with Mary Anne Larsen, 12/21/2018.

DescriptionThis mechanical, kinetic wood carving is comprised of a wood base with a hollowed space to allow for a crank shaft mechanism that operates by a wood and metal handle on the proper left side. From the base there is a large carved golden yellow painted shaft that has a snake carved around the shaft. The snake is green, black, with stripes of orange dots between each color section, and has a pink belly. At the top of the shaft there is a carved wooden apple. At the base of the piece there are two wooden figures, one male one female, that are jointed at the shoulders, and strung together to the mechanical shaft with metal eye hooks and fishing line. Above these figures and to proper left of the yellow shaft there is a carved angel, with a similar jointing at the wings, that is again attached to the mechanical shaft via eye hooks and fishing line.