Painted Box18351 3/4 × 5 1/4 × 3 5/8"Paint on woodBequest of Samuel L. Meulendyke1986.5.20Small rectangular wooden box painted yellow and decorated in green and red. Constructed to resemble a book - T,B and spine project slightly from other members, and are painted with geometric designs. The members that correspond to the pages of the book are painted yellow. T and B have same design - 3 horizontal rows of 5 shapes: T and B rows have a central red tear shape topped by a green crescent, with 2 green hearts on either side. The middle row has a red diamond in the center with 2 red circles on either side. Yellow is the background color, a thin dark green line at the edges. The "spine" has a center yellow circle with a red triangle attached above and below, the apex of each abuts the base of a green heart, set within red semi-circular shapes - a thin dark green line around the edges. The lid of the box is cut out of the T and is hinged from within by nails. Pencil lines are visible indicating a compass was used to form many of the shapes. The box appears to have been made from a single piece of soft wood.152473370Artist unidentifiedContainersThe American Folk Art Museum believes this work to be in the public domain. http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster24596United StatesPennsylvaniaThree Dimensional Works
This miniature box was made in the shape of a book, a common form. Often, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century boxes in this form were made to hold prayer books. While a more elaborate and expensive box might be decorated with inlay or carving, this one has painted geometric decorations.
Elizabeth V. Warren and Stacy C. Hollander, "Painted Box," Expressions of a New Spirit: Highlights from the Permanent Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art (New York: American Folk Art Museum, 1989), 65
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information.
To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.orghttp://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster24596http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster24596http://nodes.emuseum.com/BU1BGBAG/apis/emuseum/network/v1/vocabularies/termMaster2459618351835 1986 5 2
This miniature box was made in the shape of a book, a common form. Often, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century boxes in this form were made to hold prayer books. While a more elaborate and expensive box might be decorated with inlay or carving, this one has painted geometric decorations.
Elizabeth V. Warren and Stacy C. Hollander, "Painted Box," Expressions of a New Spirit: Highlights from the Permanent Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art (New York: American Folk Art Museum, 1989), 65
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information.
To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org