Wooden Butter Stamp c. 1937

Frank Gray’s wooden butter stamp features a star motif surrounded by radiant lines, symbols deeply rooted in human culture. These symbols of stars, found across ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian art, often represent divinity, guidance, or cosmic order. Now, consider the ancient goddess Ishtar, often depicted with a star, representing fertility and war. The star's radiant energy can be seen across time in Byzantine mosaics as halos around saints, signifying divine light and spiritual illumination. The movement of the star in art marks a shift; from ancient deities to the Renaissance, where the star and radiant lines illustrated enlightenment and knowledge, evolving into symbols of aspiration and leadership. Looking closer, can you feel the echoes of past civilizations embedded in this seemingly simple stamp? It reveals how symbols carry the weight of history, constantly evolving and resurfacing in new contexts, engaging with our subconscious.