Sculpture: Herbert Ferber || Reverse Curve, 1967-68
The Guest House, Williamstown, MA
August 31st, 2019
Tag: life
The Roller Coaster || Coney Island
In shades of nostalgia
July 7th, 2018
Bursting Bubbles
Life@Central_Park
June 17th, 2018
Tiny in a Big World
Life is full of endless possibilities…
Seattle, WA
June 12th, 2018
Dude, did I hear you say Art…?
A woman smoking a cigar (an absolute no-no in her time), a ”dude” throwing disapproving looks at her under his bowler hat, an innocent girl stoically enduring the scene, Joshua carrying a ram’s horn, all set to ”sound the trumpets of Jericho”, a faceless denture literally showing its teeth; they all seem to enjoy themselves, totally oblivious to a pair of cats silently judging one and all…
A gallery of art that loves life – and the feeling is mutual…! 
Chalkware Cats, 1850-1900
Possibly made in Pennsylvania
Trust in God, ca. 1836
By Lorenzo Bartolini (1777-1850)
Marble
Dentist’s Trade Sign, ca. 1890
Tulip poplar and paint
Made in New England
In an era when the most common remedy for a toothache was extraction, this dentist’s trade sign promoted dentures as an aesthetically pleasing alternative to a mouth with missing teeth.
Girl of the Period, 1870-85
Possible by the workshop of Samuel Robb (1851-1928)
White pine and paint
Made in New York, New York
This sculpture is an example of what trade figure carvers called the ”Girl of the Period”. Sculptures such as this advertised tobacconist, milliner and dressmaker shops. Although it was taboo for women to smoke cigarettes in the 1880s, a sculpture of a stylish young woman holding a cigarette placed outside a tobacconist shop may have enticed male customers. It may have also appealed to progressive women.
Dude, 1885-1900
White pine and paint
Made in New York, New York
Carvers of trade figures often created caricatures of an urban type known as a ”Dude”. Stylish dudes of the late 1800s sported sizable moustaches and fashionable clothes. This dude is unique in comparison to others, because he appears careworn and lacks a broad smile. He may depict a portion of the American population that was now struggling despite previous success. As such, this quality makes this particular dude both an advertisement and a commentary on contemporary urban life.
Joshua at Jericho, 1950
By Willard Hirsch (1905-1982)
Red Oak
The Gibbes Museum of Art, Permanent Collection
Charleston, SC
April 11th, 2018
The Humble Fabulist 