California
1850–55, carved 1858
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
71 x 18 1/4 x 24 3/4 in. (180.3 x 46.4 x 62.9 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William Backhouse Astor, 1872
Accession Number
72.3
Tags
About this artwork
This marble work by Hiram Powers, titled 'California' and created 1850–55, carved 1858, represents an important example of artistic production from this period. Hiram Powers's practice contributed to the broader artistic traditions of the time, demonstrating the technical skills and aesthetic sensibilities characteristic of The American Wing artworks in museum collections. The piece reflects the cultural and artistic values of its era, serving as a document of historical visual culture. Further ...
Art Historical Context
Hiram Powers's *California* (1850–55, carved 1858) is a striking marble sculpture that captures the neoclassical ideals of mid-19th-century American. Standing over five feet tall, this female nude exemplifies Powers's mastery of the medium, where he modeled the figure in clay before meticulously carving the marble to achieve a lifelike translucency and polished finish. As a leading expatriate sculptor based in Florence, Italy, drew on classical antiquity to create idealized female forms, blending technical precision with symbolic depth. Created during California's Gold Rush era and statehood ...
About the Artist
Hiram Powers
Comment on works: sculptor