<I>Rather Bright Complexion</I>
date: label: Date
content: 2022
name: label: Created by
content: Christopher Myers, American, born 1974
label: Subject of
content: Nat Turner, American, 1800 - 1831
notes: label: Description
content: A work consisting of palm oil soap cast in the shape of Nat Turner's severed head. The head is presented on an ornate silver platter, lying cheek side down. The surface of the head is smooth and slightly concave at the severed neck edge. Air bubbles in the palm oil soap can be seen throuhgout the surface and the ears are slightly lighter in color than the more solid mass of the head and neck. The platter on which the head rests is made of silverplated copper and features an elaborate scallop shell and scroll edge design with incised line drawings of scallop shells and flowers with leaf scrolls along the interior surface edge. The bottom of the platter bears marks of the Sheridan Silver company.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Religion
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: Violence
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Visual Arts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2023.2ab
objectType: label: Type
content: sculpture
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Christopher Myers, Courtesy of the artist and James Cohan, New York
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Cast palm oil soap on a silver plate
label: Dimensions
content: Head: L x W: 9 × 6 1/2 in. (22.9 × 16.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Plate: Diameter: 18 in. (45.7 cm)