Clementine Hunter Pecan Picking Tray

Louisiana folk artist Clementine Hunter (1887-1988) documents life on historic Melrose plantation on this square ceramic serving tray. Melrose Plantation was known for its massive pecan orchards. Picking pecans in the fall was an annual tradition and it took the entire plantation population to get the job done. Hunter painted what she knew, and she knew quite a lot about the yearly pecan harvest. This particular scene captures workers threshing pecans with long poles, kids in the trees knocking pecans to the ground and others picking pecans by the bucket full. Hunter's art is celebrated for her visual history of singular events of American plantation life in the early 1900's. Each ceramic is hand-painted and no two are exactly alike. The tray measures 14 inches by 14 inches by one inch.