The Old Banjo
What objects document your life?
In this trompe l’oeil painting, the viewer is shown a set of evocative objects, suggesting an encapsulation of a person’s life as seen through their belongings. A life-sized banjo hanging on a wall is surrounded by personal effects (maybe even the artist’s own): sheet music, a crumpled hat, a peacock feather, and a pair of photographs of two boxers and a pretty young woman (an empty spot suggests another photo or card has been ripped away).
\ Artist
William Keane
Nearly nothing is known about William Keane, whose name is attached to four paintings signed with his name. All were discovered in the Philadelphia area, and two of them are trompe l’oeil in style and depict upside-down banjos.
\ About
Oil on canvas
Museum purchase, The Sidney M. and Florence H. Ehrman Fund, T.B. Walker Fund and the Huntington Trust Fund