With its roots in ancient food molds and table art for Renaissance banquets, butter sculpture in the United States debuted during the centennial and flourished in the first quarter of the twentieth century. As the dairy industry moved from farm to regional cooperative creameries and eventually to national brands, butter sculpture appeared at fairs and expositions. Both amateur and professional sculptors used this unusual medium for busts and portraits, dairy-related subjects, and models of buildings. The ephemeral nature of the medium and the novelty of food as art drew crowds to exhibits advertising butter as the natural, healthy alternative to oleomargarine.

中文翻译：

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黄油雕塑：非常规媒介的历史

起源于古代食品模具和文艺复兴时期宴会的餐桌艺术，美国的黄油雕塑在百年之际首次亮相，并在 20 世纪上半叶蓬勃发展。随着乳制品行业从农场转向区域合作奶油厂，并最终转向民族品牌，黄油雕塑出现在展览会和博览会上。业余和专业雕塑家都将这种不寻常的媒介用于半身像和肖像、与乳制品相关的主题以及建筑模型。媒介的短暂性质和作为艺术的食物的新颖性吸引了人群展示黄油作为人造黄油的天然健康替代品。