American, circa 1900–1920
Carved and polychrome-painted wood
8 inches high
A wonderfully eccentric piece of early American folk sculpture, depicting an old bearded woodsman or hunter standing squarely upon an integral wooden base, his enormous carved hands clasped around a long upright implement, likely a rifle.
The figure is dominated by his remarkable face and extraordinary sweeping beard. Heavy-lidded eyes, a long angular nose and a tiny pursed, almost whistling mouth give him an unforgettable expression, while the great white beard projects dramatically from either side of his face before descending into a deep sculptural point. Viewed in profile, the beard takes on an almost architectural quality and gives this diminutive eight-inch figure tremendous presence.
Equally appealing is his distinctly American workingman’s dress: a faded reddish work shirt beneath wonderful blue-green bib overalls, their pale suspenders crossing neatly across his back, and a pair of oversized black work boots. The exaggerated hands, slightly crouched stance, outsized beard and wonderfully naïve proportions are hallmarks of the self-taught folk-carver’s imagination.
The carving retains a particularly appealing dry, time-worn polychrome surface, with areas of stronger blue-green paint surviving among softer, oxidized colors and honest losses exposing the warm wood beneath. The wear is especially pleasing across the face, beard, elbows, overalls and boots, emphasizing the hand-carved contours and giving the figure the character of a much-loved object.
A wonderfully folky little American character—part woodsman, part hunter and entirely individual—with an exceptional face, monumental beard and beautifully worn overalls.
American, circa 1900–1920. 8” H.