Carved walnut with a mellow old finish, 15 x 7 x 3 inches. Among the rare nineteenth century carvings representing the Goddess of Liberty, which tend to be rather static in form, this one that is exceptional for its animated sense of movement. It ranks as an iconic masterpiece of American folk art.
Provenance:
The collection of the Barbara Johnson.
Exhibited:
“Liberties with Liberty: The Changing of an American Symbol,” The Museum of American Folk Art, New York, 1986; and traveled nationally.
Published:
Robert Bishop, American Folk Sculpture (New York: 1974), p. 122, pl. 205.
Nancy Jo Fox, Liberties with Liberty (New York: 1985), p. 46, pl. 49.
