Sketches of Three Heads
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1914-38-267
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Francis Augustus Lathrop (9–1909), an esteemed American artist of the late 19th, created *Sketches of Three* around 1895. Born in New York and trained in Europe, Lathrop was known for his versatile work in painting, illustration, and decorative arts, often capturing the human form with a keen eye for expression and anatomy. These sketches, classified as studies of figures, likely served as preparatory drawings for larger compositions, showcasing his skill in rendering faces with sensitivity and detail—a hallmark of artists bridging Realism and the emerging Aesthetic Movement. Housed in the Sm...