Biography
Edgar Tolson is a self-taught folk artist born into a poor farming family from the Appalachian heartland in eastern Kentucky, and is known for his carvings made from poplar. As a young boy, he whittled wood to make furniture, sleds, trains, and other trinkets; he aslo worked as a carpenter and stonemason. A paradoxical character, he dabbled in a career as a preacher and also burned down a church in a violent fit of crisis. However, his experience with religion had an important influence on his carvings, which often depict various biblical scenes. After a stroke in 1957, he began woodcarving as an artistic endeavor and gained recognition for his graphic and overtly sexual depiction of the book of Genesis in his Adam and Eve series, Fall of Man.
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Biography
Edgar Tolson is a self-taught folk artist born into a poor farming family from the Appalachian heartland in eastern Kentucky, and is known for his carvings made from poplar. As a young boy, he whittled wood to make furniture, sleds, trains, and other trinkets; he aslo worked as a carpenter and stonemason. A paradoxical character, he dabbled in a career as a preacher and also burned down a church in a violent fit of crisis. However, his experience with religion had an important influence on his carvings, which often depict various biblical scenes. After a stroke in 1957, he began woodcarving as an artistic endeavor and gained recognition for his graphic and overtly sexual depiction of the book of Genesis in his Adam and Eve series, Fall of Man.
Track Edgar Tolson
Get notifications when works come to auction, and access market analytics
Create Free AccountAlready have an account? Sign In
Professional documentation gives you clarity, portability, and confidence in your collection.
Learn why collectors document their holdings onlineYour collection, accessible anywhere
Access your collection from any device with our cloud-based platform. Native mobile apps provide seamless synchronization and offline browsing, ensuring your collection data is always at hand.