Matthias Merkel-Hess
Gott 5 Gallon Gas Can

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Artist Matthias Merkel-Hess(American, born 1978)American, born 1978

CultureAmerican

Titles

Gott 5 Gallon Gas Can

Date2013

MediumPorcelain

Dimensions15 7/8 × 15 1/4 × 9 1/4 in. (40.3 × 38.7 × 23.5 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Joella and Steve Mach in honor of Thomas S.Glanville and Paul Murphy at "One Great Night in November, 2013"

Object number2014.74

Not on view

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Department

Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design

Object Type

CERAMICS

ProvenanceThe artist; [James Harris Gallery, Seattle]; purchased by MFAH, 2014.
Exhibition History"Matthias Merkel Hess: Oeuvreday," James Harris Gallery, Seattle, September 5–October 12, 2013.

“Contemporary Art: Selections from the Museum’s Collection,” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, July 3–September 21, 2014.

"Optical Illusions: Selections from the Museum's Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, January 16–July 14, 2019.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Signed and dated with black paint on bottom: "Matthias Merkel Hess / 2013"

Embossed on bottom, just above "M" in Matthias: "0809"
Embossed on bottom, next to hole: "2"
Embossed on bottom: "U.S. PAT NO 301 689 / GOTT CORPORATION / WINFIELD, KS U.S.A / MODEL 1251 SPOUT 706 / VENT CAP 419 CAP 456"
Embossed on bottom: "COMMONWEALTH / OF MASSACHUSETTS / APPROVED PORTABLE GASONLINE CONTAINER / MODEL 1250 (?) / APPROVAL NO PO O57 (?) / DATE OF APPROVAL APRIL 15, 1987"
Embossed on bottom, a shield design with illegible text written inside.
Embossed on bottom, a circular design with "10 P 5 4" (?) written inside.
Embosed on both side of Gas Can: "GASOLINE" with illegible text underneath

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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