Untitled (Eagle Weathervane)

Unidentified · ca. 1875

Whether a rustic carving or a forged metalwork, weathervanes have long been part of American rooftops, and their forms often suggested something about the beliefs of the people whose homes or buildings they graced. Fusing art, design, and functional object, weathervanes came to symbolize a democratic art form, something that could be made by farmers, blacksmiths, artisanal craftsmen, or anyone who wanted to. Patriotic fervor following the creation of the new American republic made the eagle an abiding favorite, symbolizing a nation born of strength, courage, and independence.