figure study for a fountain design
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Accession Number
1955-38-50-b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Elihu Vedder’s “Figure Study for a Fountain Design,” created around 1890, offers a rare glimpse into the preparatory process of an American artist known for his thoughtful approach to form and composition. As a drawing in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, this work captures the artist’s exploration of human figures intended for integration into a larger sculptural project, likely destined for a public or architectural setting. The medium of drawing allowed Vedder to experiment freely with pose, proportion, and movement before committing to final materials. Such studies were es...