Hand Carved Eagle c. 1938

John Cutting, born in 1855, created this hand-carved eagle from wood, using techniques that would have been familiar to both folk artists and professional sculptors of his time. The choice of wood is significant. It's a material that invites touch, and the carving process itself is a dance between the artist and the grain. You can almost feel the pressure of the chisel as you look at the finished form, the thousands of small cuts that built up this impressive sculpture. Notice how the texture is paramount. Each feather is carefully defined, and the wings have a rough hewn quality that adds to the sense of dynamism. It's also worth noting that this kind of skilled handwork was increasingly juxtaposed against industrial production during Cutting's lifetime. As more and more objects were manufactured by machine, handmade works like this eagle became emblems of individual craftsmanship. So, when we look at this piece, we're not just seeing a representation of an eagle, but an embodiment of the labor, skill, and artistic vision that went into its creation. And that challenges us to reconsider the value we place on handmade objects in an increasingly mass-produced world.