Study of Seated Woman for National Academy of Design Tympanum
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1942-50-401
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Daniel Huntington (1816–6), a leading figure in American art, created this *Study of Seated Woman National Academy of Design Tymum* around 1885. As a prominent realist painter and president of the National Academy of Design (NAD) from 1884 to 1890, was deeply involved in the institution's cultural mission. This preparatory sketch captures a seated female figure, likely intended for the sculptural tympanum—a triangular panel—above an entrance at the NAD's New York headquarters, symbolizing the academy's dedication to artistic excellence. Studies like this one reveal the meticulous process behi...