-Butting Goat c. 1887

This diminutive sculpture, Butting Goat, made by the H. L. Judd Manufacturing Company, presents a scene of dynamic tension, captured in cast iron. The sculpture’s appeal lies in its contrasting textures and forms. The rough, bark-like surface of the tree stump juxtaposes with the smooth, almost slick appearance of the goat. This contrast invites a tactile consideration, despite the object's inaccessibility. Notice how the goat, frozen mid-leap, introduces a sense of narrative and suspended time. The composition cleverly uses the tension between the static tree and the dynamic goat to create a moment of anticipation. Consider the implications of this encounter. Is it a mere clash, or does it symbolize something deeper about the relationship between nature and action? Such an object prompts us to consider how everyday items can embody complex narratives and structural relations. The work destabilizes established meanings. It challenges the separation of form and function by embedding narrative within a utilitarian object.