Block, Wood
Artifact
2015.1.182a
*Picture Block* Rectangular tongue and groove joined wood block. Block 1 of a 3 part series (blue, red and yellow). Front: Stained blue, mostly relief wood block. Beginning in the top left corner are two recessed dotted lines. The first line goes from the top left corner down to the bottom edge ending 13.8cm from the bottom left corner and the second line begins 11.6cm down from the top left corner and ends at the bottom edge 9.7cm from the left corner. There are 5 horizontal dotted lines between the diagonal lines that form rungs--all lines form a ladder. To the left of the second dotted line is a small design of buildings, which are large in the front and decrease in size to provide depth, surrounded by a spiky triangle design measuring 8cm wide by 10cm long. The main focus of block is a woman climbing the ladder and appearing to wave to a crowd below. Covers the majority of the left side 24cm wide (from elbow to outstretched hand) and 53.2cm long (head to toe). Woman's outline is done in relief wood but the rest of her is recessed. To the right of the woman is completely recessed down to mid-thigh (24cm) where a larger spiky triangles design outlines the recessed space (approx 34cm wide). Beneath this spiky design is the detailed carving of a fair. To the immediate right of the woman's legs are two lightly etched ferris wheels in the background (18.5cm wide by 19.3cm long). In the bottom right corner is a detailed fair scene measuring 19.2cm wide by 21.6cm long, however, at this point it is difficult to discern an aspect of this scene except for 2 towers rising in the center, and just below this is a spinning ride (see picture for better detail). Sides: Bottom center has "No 401" stamped in purple ink. Ink stains in the wood grains and near the front edges of the block. Back:"Blue" is handwritten in pencil in the top right corner. "No 401" is stamped in purple ink in the upper center. There are 2 strips of brown paper that have been glued to the lower half of the block and bottom right corner. There are ink marks in the wood grains, with a large blue ink stain in the center.
Wood (basswood or pine)
Length: 53.2 cm;
Width: 50.6 cm;
Height: 2.3 cm;
Notes: Height refers to the thickness of the block; width measures horizontally, and length measures vertically.
Notes: Height refers to the thickness of the block; width measures horizontally, and length measures vertically.
"Blue" is handwritten in pencil in the top right corner on the back. "No. 401" is stamped in purple ink in the upper center of the back, and in the center of the bottom edge.
Gift of the Derksen Family