Object Details
Artist
Billie Jean Theide, born Des Moines, IA 1956
Luce Center Label
Billie Jean Theide fashioned this teapot design after the rugged rock formations of the American West, but it also resembles an ancient artifact that might have been unearthed from the seabed. The powdery green patina on the surface, which forms when the metal is exposed to moist air or salt, emphasizes this excavated appearance. The teapot’s solid, looming silhouette evokes a giant ironclad, cutting through the water with its “spout” leading the way like a rusty cannon.
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Diane and Sandy Besser Collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Copyright
© 1993, Billie Jean Theide
Date
1993
Object number
2002.70.15A-B
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Decorative Arts
Crafts
Medium
copper
Dimensions
3 x 7 3/4 x 2 3/4 in. (7.7 x 19.6 x 7.0 cm)
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Renwick Gallery
On View
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 4th Floor, 52B
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 4th Floor
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_2002.70.15A-B