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
Rights
Public Domain
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 study housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letters), the work highlights Vedder's technique of refining poses and expressions through sketches. These studies were essential to his process, bridging his illustrative projects, like the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam, with monumental public art such as New York Public Library mosaics. Though research on this piece is ongoing, it offers a window into the artist's imaginative world, where ethereal figures embody timeless human themes. Visitors, take a moment to trace the contours of Fortune's form—Vedder's mastery lies in evoking destiny's elusive grace.