Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Carving |
Donor |
Hansen, Estate of Rita Neergaard |
Description |
Circular, wooden wall hanging with a carved design. There is an outer border with tassles at the top and on either side. At the center is a woman's head, meant to appear Native American. She is facing the viewer's left, has a headband that appears "V" shaped to the viewer and has feathers, beads, and what are likely leather bands extending off them. Just in front of her are two pots, positioned along the border. The border and face are raised. The background has been carved out and is darker, along with the detail of the images. At the top center on the outer edge is a metal hook with a faded yellow string tied through for hanging. Near the center is a black stamp with a maker's mark. On either side is a standing bear holding a shield form. Above is "FLEMISH ART CO. / TRADE MARK" and below is "NEW YORK". Inside the shield is "FLEMINSH / QUALITY / 852 / IS / STANDARD". Below the stamp is written in pencil "R / 15". |
Dimensions |
Dia-9.5 inches |
Made By |
Flemish Art Company/Neergaard, Christian |
Creation Date |
pre 1944 |
Place Of Origin |
USA/NY/ |
Owned By |
Hansen, Rita |
Used By |
Hansen, Rita |
Material |
wood |
Associated People |
Hansen, Rita Neergaard, Christian |
Search Terms |
Hansen, Rita Flemish Art Company New York horses dog art carving Neergaard, Christian |
Provenance |
This carved wall hanging was wood-burned by Rita's father Christian Neergaard with a gas pen from a pre-drawn image. Family Info: Peder (b. March 5, 1847, d. Apr. 4, 1923 in Kenosha) and Kirsten (Simonsen) Neergaard were farmers from Nødager (the Grenaa-Æbeltoft area of Jutland) with their three sons, Christian, Achton, and Sophus. They came to the U.S. on the ship Thingvalla in 1888 (Christian was 17, Achton 15, and Sophus 13), and docked in Canada. Peder and the boys worked with maintanence of the Canadian railroad, living in a boxcar with Kirsten as housekeeper. They ended up on the West Coat, came across the border into Washington state, lived in Kent for awhile, and then worked their way east to Wisconsin. They stayed in Neenah for a time, and then settled in Kenosha. Kirsten died in 1905. Peder wrote to Kirsten's sister Maren and asked her to come to America to help keep house. Maren came with a friend, Olivia Poulsen. and Olivia and Christian married in 1907. In 1908, the donor's sister Kirsten was born, and Rita followed in 1912. Olivia died in 1930. In 1937, Kirsten and Rita took Civil Serice exams and were called to work for the government in Washington, D.C. Their widower father, Christian, went with them. In 1940, when the Nazis invaded Denmark, the U.S. government established a Consulate in Reykjavik, Iceland (at that time part of Denmark), and Rita was chosen to go there for two years. During her service, the Consulate in Iceland was elevated to a Legation. After her assignment in Iceland, Rita was transferred to the Legation in Stockholm, Sweden and was there for a year before returning to Washington, D.C. In 1944, Rita's father Christian died. When the war ended in 1945, Rita and Kirsten were asked to go to Copenhagen, Denmark on separate assignments. Rita had known Roy Hansen through the Danish church in Kenosha, Wisconsin for many years, but Roy's service in the Army and Rita's service in the Foreign Service had precluded their relationship. Rita and Roy married in December of 1950. Kirsten, Rita's sister, died in July of 1987. Rita died in the summer of 2009. |
Date Received by Museum |
07/16/2009 |
Images |
145\2009031002.JPG |
Accession number |
2009.031 |
Object Identification Number |
2009.031.002 |