Engaging survey of nearly 200 years of great native folk art: weathervanes, portraits, Indians, ship figureheads, toys, decoys, etc. 17th through 19th century. Styles, uses, technical information, makers. 68 illustrations.

The carved and painted figures collected in this exceptional book are excellent examples of a wide-spread American folk art tradition that flourished from the middle of the 18th to the end of the 19th-century. 183 photographic illustrations, 4 reproduced in full-color on the covers. List of illustrations. Extensive bibliography.

Concise but comprehensive, this history of figureheads and ship carvings covers the period from ancient Egypt to the present, with emphasis on the great period of decoration between the late sixteenth century and the end of the age of sail. The decoration of a ship was often done to signify its importance or demonstrate pride of ownership, but was also added to appease sea gods and scare off enemies, as exemplified by the eyes on Chinese Junks and the ferocious dragons on Viking ships, while the lion figurehead symbolized naval power. Michael Stammers explains that the powerful typographic logos seen on the sides of container ships today attest to a company's struggle for commercial domination. In the book he describes the ship carvers as well as collections of figureheads that can be seen in museums around the world. With its numerous illustrations, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in ships and their decorations.

"Ralph Sessions not only highlights the work of shipcarvers throughout the eastern United States and Canada but also presents new information on carving workshops in New York City, America's key shipbuilding center from around 1820 until after the Civil War."--BOOK JACKET.

Jay S. Hanna was a professional carver and modelmaker for more than 40 years. His models will be found on display in such institutions as the Mariner's Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Maine Maritime Museum, and in many private collections. His carvings adorn many yachts and cruise schooners, as well as stores and homes.

For a full list of entries, contributors, and more, visit the Encyclopedia of American Folk Art web site. This is the first comprehensive, scholarly study of a most fascinating aspect of American history and culture. Generously illustrated with both black and white and full-color photos, this A-Z encyclopedia covers every aspect of American folk art, encompassing not only painting, but also sculpture, basketry, ceramics, quilts, furniture, toys, beadwork, and more, including both famous and lesser-known genres. Containing more than 600 articles, this unique reference considers individual artists, schools, artistic, ethnic, and religious traditions, and heroes who have inspired folk art. An incomparable resource for general readers, students, and specialists, it will become essential for anyone researching American art, culture, and social history.

A beloved classic—written by a beloved Caldecott winner—is lovelier than ever! Barbara Cooney's story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication. To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of two-time Caldecott winner Barbara Cooney's best-loved book, the illustrations have been reoriginated, going back to the original art to ensure state-of-the-art reproduction of Cooney's exquisite artwork. The art for Miss Rumphius has a permanent home in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

This book presents watercolor renderings along with a selection of the artifacts in the Index of American Design, a visual archive of decorative, folk, and popular arts made in America from the colonial period to about 1900. Three essays explore the history, operation, and ambitions of the Index of American Design, examine folk art collecting in America during the early decades of the twentieth century, and consider the Index's role in the search for a national cultural identity in the early twentieth-century United States.

The first book to tell the complete story of Rushmore. "I had seen the photographs and the drawings of this great work. And yet, until about ten minutes ago I had no conception of its magnitude, its permanent beauty and its importance." —Franklin Delano Roosevelt, upon first viewing Mount Rushmore, August 30, 1936 Now in paperback, The Carving of Mount Rushmore tells the complete story of the largest and certainly the most spectacular sculpture in existence. More than 60 black-and-white photographs offer unique views of this gargantuan effort, and author Rex Alan Smith—a man born and raised within sight of Rushmore—recounts with the sensitivity of a native son the ongoing struggles of sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his workers.