The Spirit of Humanity, 1906
Robert Reidexpand_more
Charcoal and pastel, heightened with whiteexpand_more
The Richard Lewis Hillstrom Fundexpand_more 98.208.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
Robert Reid produced this drawing in response to the staggering human tragedy of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of April 18, 1906, a natural disaster that killed more than 3,000 and leveled much of the city. A founding member of the Ten American Painters, Reid commonly created works that featured figurative allegories such as this personification of the Spirit of Humanity, portrayed here as a benevolent goddess cradling a sleeping infant while comforting a distraught mother. Reid's drawing was first exhibited in New York as part of an organized relief effort to benefit the survivors of the devastating earthquake and subsequent fires.
Details
- Title
- The Spirit of Humanity
- Artist Life
- 1862 - 1929
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 98.208.1
- Provenance
- The artist, donated to the California Artists' Relief Committee, San Francisco auction (in New York') for San Francisco earthquake relief , sold for $250 to William Clausen (William Clausen Galleries), New York. (Bonham's San Francisco, Dec. 10, 1997). (Childs Gallery, Boston, sold to MIA, 1998)
- 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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