Mrs. Potter Palmer
1871
Medium
Carrera marble
Dimensions
69.5 × 48.9 × 29.5 cm (27 3/8 × 19 1/4 × 11 5/8 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
120518
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Chicago businessman Potter Palmer and his wife Bertha commissioned a pair of portraits in 1871 from Hiram Powers, an American sculptor living in Florence (see Mr. Potter Palmer). Executed in marble, with folded draperies and restrained features, the busts exemplify the classicizing style that Powers honed in Italy—and some Americans found so appealing—in the mid-19th century. They are among the first works of art purchased by the couple, who soon became major art collectors and philanthropists. ...
About the Artist
Hiram Powers · 1805–1873
Comment on works: sculptor