Artist
William Edmondson(American, 1874–1951)American, 1874–1951
CultureAmerican
Titles
- Eagle
Datec. 1935
MediumLimestone
DimensionsOverall: 23 3/4 × 6 3/4 × 14 1/2 in. (60.3 × 17.1 × 36.8 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Charles Tate, Mac Dunwoody, Robin Gibbs, and Lee Godfrey in honor of James A. Elkins, Jr. at "One Great Night in November, 2005"
Object number2005.1068
Current Location
The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building
Gallery 203
Exposé
Explore Further
Department
American ArtObject Type
to be accorded a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. The
son of formerly enslaved people and a native of Nashville, Tennessee,
he began to carve limestone grave markers in the 1920s, broadening
his production to include freestanding sculptures in the 1930s. His
Eagle is typical of his totemic images, and represents spiritual
freedom. While initially regarded as a naive folk artist, Edmondson
is now widely recognized for his unique voice and contribution to
American art.
Provenance Research Ongoing Exhibition History"Houston Collects: African American Art," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Upper Brown Pavilion, July 31-October 26, 2008.
"American Made: 250 Years of American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 7 July 2012 - 2 January 2013.
"Statements: African American Art from the Museum's Collection," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Millennium Gallery, January 24–September 25, 2016.
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.
Kathleen Ryan
2020
Quartz, smoky quartz, rutilated quartz, labradorite, chalcedony, citrine, calcite, prehnite, turquoise, magnesite, tiger eye, gray feldspar, agate, Italian onyx, serpentine, marble, limestone, glass, and steel pins on coated polystyrene
2023.165