Scrimshaw Portrait of George Washington

Maker Unknown Maker

PeriodCirca 1855 - 1860

Place MadeProbably United States

MediumWalrus tusk

Dimensions6.5 × 2 in. (16.5 × 5.1 cm)

ClassificationsPolitical Memorabilia

Credit LineGift of Mrs. John C. Ellis and Mrs. Edmund B. Ross, 1972

Object number1972.2

DescriptionHeavy, curved walrus tusk with boldly incised and crosshatched portrait of George Washington in military uniform, with deeply fringed epaulets. Single word "Washington" carved below. Entire ornamentation picked out in ink.
Curatorial RemarksScrimshaw is a particular art form in which a portion of whale bone (jawbone, rib, or other bones) were cut, shaped, and polished, then an image ranging from a simple single figure to elaborate views of full-masted sailing ships were etched into the bone with a needle or other sharp point. The lines were then accentuated with pigment, ranging from ink, coal, soot, or even tobacco juice. Similar materials including walrus tusks and even seashells were used as well. The term "scrimshaw" first seems to have appeared in or around 1827, but the exact source of the word is uncertain. Sailors aboard whaling vessels were often at sea for two, three, or even four years at a stretch, with long periods of inactivity. Artistic pursuits such as carving and scrimshaw made use of valueless whale bones and cartilage, while providing something to do. Many sailors produced pieces for loved ones back home, or sold them when ashore as souvenirs. Some sailors carved intricate patterns into long, thin pieces of whalebone (baleen) for use as busks, removable front panels in a woman's corset. Many of these included hearts and other romantic and love-related imagery.NotesThis walrus tusk is decorated with a scrimshaw portrait of George Washington. The unidentified artist, who may have been a sailor aboard a whaling vessel, seems to have used Rembrandt Peale's famous portrait of George Washington as the basis for inspiration. Apart from a few minor details, the overall composition is identical to Peale's famous painting of Washington done in 1853. According to the original donor files, the object was described as "Presidential scrimshaw - rare worn whale's tooth." Although many scrimshaw pieces were produced using whale bone, walrus teeth were also popular "canvases" for the sailor's art. Historical figures often appeared in scrimshaw pieces, with George Washington arguably the most popular.

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