Untitled (Memory Vessel with Doll Parts and Watch faces)

Zelermy, n.d. · mid-20th century

The folk art tradition of "memory vessels" grew out of grave-marking or commemorative rituals found in several cultures. Objects embedded in the surface of the piece often provide clues to the person who owned or used the items. With its doll parts and clocks, this vessel may have been created to commemorate a child, suggesting a too-short life. These special items may have been from the maker’s childhood, and were gathered here as a keepsake.