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Wake up, Sleepy Head!

Washington Irving, regarded as "the first American man of letters," was born on this day in 1783 in New York, New York.

One of his most popular short stories, "Rip Van Winkle" (1819–1820), provided the basis for many art forms—including plays, operas, and visual art.

Frederick MacMonnies modeled this figure representing Irving's character awakening from his 20-year slumber. Among MacMonnies' earliest known works, Rip Van Winkle was inspired by a visit to the New York studio of sculptor John Rogers, who gave the budding artist his first clay.

Source: Mary Smart. A Flight with Fame: The Life and Art of Frederick MacMonnies. (Madison, Conn.: Soundview Press, 1996).

Pictured: Frederick MacMonnies, 1863–1937, Rip Van Winkle, about 1874–1876, fired terra cotta on wood base with glass dome, 7 3/4 x 7 3/4 x 6 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Miss Marion E. Pelzer.