Wonderful carving of a cowboy in full regalia, including chaps, lariat, six-shooter, and a 10-gallon hat! His bowlegged stance is true to character, and he seems to be having some sort of ecstatic moment... Though not a great likeness, it is probably an attempted portrait of Will Rogers, an unlikely early 20th century American celebrity. Rogers got his start doing rope tricks in Vaudeville shows, but it was his droll patter that brought him fame. During some of the most tempestuous economic times (such as the Great Depression), he satirized politicians and politics in a homey, "aw-shucks" way that appealed to a broad sector of the American public. His image was everywhere, including in naïve renderings such as this. The last photo is of Rogers early in his career, when he was a tall drink of Sarsaparilla, indeed!
Wonderful carving of a cowboy in full regalia, including chaps, lariat, six-shooter, and a 10-gallon hat! His bowlegged stance is true to character, and he seems to be having some sort of ecstatic moment... Though not a great likeness, it is probably an attempted portrait of Will Rogers, an unlikely early 20th century American celebrity. Rogers got his start doing rope tricks in Vaudeville shows, but it was his droll patter that brought him fame. During some of the most tempestuous economic times (such as the Great Depression), he satirized politicians and politics in a homey, "aw-shucks" way that appealed to a broad sector of the American public. His image was everywhere, including in naïve renderings such as this. The last photo is of Rogers early in his career, when he was a tall drink of Sarsaparilla, indeed!
