Study of "Fortune"
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Accession Number
1955-38-64
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Elihu Vedder (6–1923), a prominent American artist known for his mystical and symbolic works, created this *Study of "Fortune around 1899. Vedder, who spent much of his career in Italy, drew inspiration from classical mythology, Renaissance masters, and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's emphasis on intricate detail and emotional depth. This preparatory study likely explores the allegorical figure of Fortune—a personification of fate and chance often depicted in art as a wheel-turning goddess—capturing Vedder's fluid approach to human forms in preparation for larger compositions. As a figure st...