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ELIJAH PIERCE
(American, 1892-1984)
Love Birds, 1940
Paint and glitter on carved wood
16 x 15”
Gift of T. Marshall Hahn 2001.14

Elijah Pierce, who was born in Mississippi, was the youngest son of a church deacon and former slave. He began working with wood at an early age, and his uncle, Lewis Wallace, gave him instruction in the art of carving. Pierce made his living as a barber and as an ordained Baptist preacher, and he believed that God also led him to preach through his carvings. Pierce’s woodworking was a lifelong hobby, yet it was not until the 1970s that he was known as an artist outside of his community. Though he is known for his religious subjects, or “sermons” in wood, Pierce’s favorite carvings were those that depicted animals. Love Birds is an engaging expression of nature, directly carved and tidily painted, with such finely executed details as the individualized feathers on the birds.