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Title	Nutcracker in the image of a soldier
Description	1 wooden nutcracker, 20 cm. high. Nutcrackers have been around at least since the time of the ancient Greeks. It is rumored that the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, invented the first lever-operated nutcracker around 330 B.C. Bronze nutcrackers, discovered in ancient grave sites, indicate that early civilizations must have thought nutcrackers were useful tools in life and death. Nutcrackers in the form of wooden carvings of a soldier, knight, king, or other profession have existed since at least the 15th century. These nutcrackers portray a person with a large mouth which the operator opens by lifting a lever in the back of the figurine. Originally one could insert a nut in the big-toothed mouth, press down and thereby crack the nut. Modern nutcrackers in this style are made it numerous sizes and serve mostly for decoration. The ballet The Nutcracker derives its name from this holiday decoration. In Germany, nutcrackers weren't just practical tools, they were totems said to protect families from danger. Their big wooden teeth were designed to scare away evil spirits, and their ability to crack nuts symbolized the circle of life: A tree drops a seed (nut), which becomes a tree, out of which the nutcracker is born. The nutcracker, by design, also was a form of satirical political commentary. Nutcrackers made in the image of high-ranking officials, kings and soldiers were a way to force high-status men to "serve" the people, as their nut cracker.
Subject	Nutcrackers (Implements)--History.; Nutcrackers (Implements)--Germany.; Decorative arts--Germany.
Date	[2011]
Format	JPEG