Untitled (WhatNot Shelves and Repisas)
Artist:
Marilyn Lanfear
(American, 1930 - 2020)
Date: 2008
Place made:San Antonio, Texas, United States
Medium: Wood
Dimensions:
Dimensions variable
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Marilyn Lanfear
Object number: 2016.33.5
Label Text
I am an artist, but also a collector. —Marilyn Lanfear
Lanfear spent many years amassing this grouping of shelves. Whatnot shelves are standing or hanging open shelves used to display keepsakes including china, ornaments, decorative items, and “whatnot.” Originating in France and known as an étagère, this household item gained popularity in nineteenth-century England. Lanfear’s collection includes shelves found in the United States and Mexico, where they are called repisas. Here, they speak to the importance of domestic objects across cultures and time periods. Since the shelves are empty, viewers can appreciate the character of each unit’s design and craftsmanship, and perhaps ponder what they might display on whatnot shelves in their own home.
(Lana Meador, Label Text 2018)
Lanfear spent many years amassing this grouping of shelves. Whatnot shelves are standing or hanging open shelves used to display keepsakes including china, ornaments, decorative items, and “whatnot.” Originating in France and known as an étagère, this household item gained popularity in nineteenth-century England. Lanfear’s collection includes shelves found in the United States and Mexico, where they are called repisas. Here, they speak to the importance of domestic objects across cultures and time periods. Since the shelves are empty, viewers can appreciate the character of each unit’s design and craftsmanship, and perhaps ponder what they might display on whatnot shelves in their own home.
(Lana Meador, Label Text 2018)
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
