Profile Bust of Thomas Fessenden
Medium
Wax, glass, wood
Dimensions
10 1/2 x 9 7/8 in. (26.7 x 25.1 cm)
Classification
Miniature
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Glenn Tilley Morse Collection, Bequest of Glenn Tilley Morse, 1950
Accession Number
50.187.65
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early years of the American republic, John Christian Rauschner crafted this striking *Profile Bust of Thomas Fessenden* in 1800, capturing the dignified likeness of its subject in profile view. Rauschner, a German-born sculptor active in Philadelphia, specialized in intimate portraiture that bridged European traditions with emerging American tastes. Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this piece from the Glenn Tilley Morse Collection (1950) measures a compact 10½ x 9⅞ inches, perfect for a mantel or desk. The artwork's medium—wax modeled over a core, vividly co...