Name/Title
Wood FigurineEntry/Object ID
2025.18.4Description
Handmade wood carving of a man dressed in fancy clothing leaning against a lamp post. The lamp post has a distorted lean. In front of the man is a small pink elephant. The base has a colorful square design. The story linked to this object is that the man, after having a fun night on the town, is stumbling home and seeing things, explaining why the lamp post is distorted and why there is a pink elephant. The man is wearing a black overcoat, a white scarf with black polka dots, white gloves with black stripes, a black top hat, and a red flower in his lapel. He is holding a wooden cane. The inscription on the bottom says, "C.O. Trygg Sweden 1963."Use
For display in the home.Context
The Tryggs were a family of prolific wood carvers in the 20th century. The father, Carl Johan Trygg, is said to have carved over 40,000 figures in his lifetime. Carl John began wood carving people he saw in his everyday life – laborers, fishermen, the homeless, etc. He passed his knowledge down to his sons – Carl Olof and Lars.
The process begins with basswood, grown in the east coastal area of Sweden. The wood is dried for 6-8 months. The figures are then hand carved using axes, saws, and hews. Lastly, the figure is painted. Carl Olof does both the carving and the painting, whereas Lars does the carving while his wife does the painting. The process all together takes about 2 hours for every figure.Acquisition
Accession
2025.18Source or Donor
Charles V. Hogren, Anne L. Hogren WoodsonAcquisition Method
DonationMade/Created
Date made
1963Time Period
20th CenturyPlace
Country
SwedenRegion
Northern EuropeContinent
EuropeInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
EmblemLocation
bottomTranscription
C.O. Trygg 1963 SwedenLanguage
EnglishMaterial/Technique
InkLexicon
LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
Wood carving, Sculpture, LamppostsDimensions
Height
12-7/8 inWidth
10-1/4 inLength
3-1/2 inReproductions
Notes
Reproduction of the Museum's artifacts for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires written permission.
