Bust of the Greek Slave, after 1845-1846
Hiram Powersexpand_more
Marbleexpand_more
The Christina N. and Swan J. Turnblad Memorial Fundexpand_more 72.67
Not on Viewexpand_more
This is an idealized representation of a Greek woman enslaved by Turks during the Greek Revolution (1821–32), when Greeks fought for independence from the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled them since 1453. Powers created a full-length, life-size sculpture called The Greek Slave in 1843. He modeled it in clay, and his studio then produced six full-size marble versions. One was exhibited at the Crystal Palace Exhibition (world’s fair) in London in 1851 and in New York a few years later. The work’s great popularity prompted the creation of smaller replicas and also many busts, such as this one. In the years leading up to the American Civil War (1861–65), antislavery groups adopted this image as a symbol.
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Details
- Title
- Bust of the Greek Slave
- Artist Life
- American, 1805-1873
- Role
- Sculptor
- Dimension
- 24 1/2 in. (62.23 cm)
- Accession Number
- 72.67
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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