Howard Finster 1989 Oil and Ink on Shaped Wood Sculpture "Child of the Devil"

Item Details

Howard Finster (American, 1916-2001)
Child of the Devil, 1989
Oil and ink painting on wood panel
Signed to the lower left
Numbered “11.000” and dated to lower left
Marked with the artist’s “Noah’s Ark Bird” doodle to the lower right

A shaped wood sculpture comprised of oil paint and ink titled Child of the Devil by listed folk artist Reverend William Howard Finster (American, 1916-2001), dated 1989. This work is numbered ‘11.000’ and dated to the lower left. It is inscribed throughout the composition and to the lower center. The piece is signed with the artist’s “Noah’s Ark Bird” doodle to the lower right.

Howard Finster was a minister for over forty years in Alabama, the place where he was born. After retirement he moved to Summerville, Georgia, where he turned his swampland into Paradise Garden in reflection of his religious beliefs and a vision that sent him on a mission to create sacred art. Finster used oil, watercolor, lacquer and other paints on found objects and salvaged pieces of glass and cardboard to make religious folk art creations. His works have been featured on album covers for popular rock bands such as the Talking Heads which was featured as the 1985 album of the year in Rolling Stones Magazine, as well as on REM’s Reckoning album cover. Perhaps his most well known work is the eight foot tall Coca-Cola bottle commissioned for the 1996 Olympic Games global art project. Finster promised God he would create 5,000 paintings in his lifetime and in the end created 46,991 numbered pieces.

Condition

- faint scratches and marks scattered throughout surface.

Dimensions

Item #

18DCC649-017