Rare carved and painted wood kangaroo Probably Pennsylvania, mid 19th century

Found in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
John Gordon, New York
Christie's New York, "The John Gordon Collection of Folk Americana," January 15, 1999 lot 236

"The Flowering of American Folk Art, 1776-1876," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1974
"Masterpieces of American Folk Art," Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, New Jersey, 1975
"Folk Art Revealed," New York, American Folk Art Museum, November 16, 2004-August 23, 2009

Lipman, Jean, and Alice Winchester, The Flowering of American Folk Art, 1776-1876. New York: Viking Press in association with Whitney Museum of American Art, 1974, p. 176
American Radiance: The Ralph Esmerian Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, p. 169, fig. 456

Normal shrinkage gaps between head, neck, legs, and tail; small amount of wear on ears.
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Poised alert and ready to pounce, this spotted kangaroo recalls some fantastic animal of another age. While little is known about its history, it has been recognized for many years for its individuality and strong presence. Found in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, it may have been created as a toy. Regardless of his original intent, its imaginative carver used his sense of humor and knowledge of animal behavior to construct a figure of an exotic beast that he had probably never seen in person. Even if he had, his goal was obviously not to create a likeness, as was often the case with 19th century animal carvings. The image of a kangaroo was the inspiration, not the intention.

The animal presents a rather ferocious appearance with teeth bared and a menacing grin. Its powerful hind legs and short forelegs feature large central claws of threatening proportions, while its long curving neck and undulating tail reinforce the sense of an animal about to strike. In both form and demeanor, it resembles a dragon as much as a kangaroo, like some mythic creature from an ancient bestiary. -R.S.