Study for "Zodiac"
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1914-38-56
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Francis Augustus Lathrop (American, 1849–1909) crafted *Study for "Zod"* around 1894, a drawing classified among "figures" in the Smithsonian American Art's collection. As a study, it represents the meticulous groundwork typical of late 19th artists, where initial sketches of human forms helped refine poses, proportions, and compositions for larger works. The title hints at a thematic exploration of the zodiac, a motif rich in symbolic meaning during the Gilded Age, astronomy, mythology, and personal destiny. Lathrop, active during a period when American art drew inspiration from European aca...