Paul Wayland Bartlett, Walt Whitman, modeled ca. 1887-1889, bronze, 9 5⁄8 in. (24.4 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Armistead Peter III, 1958.11.24
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Walt Whitman
- Artist
- Date
- modeled ca. 1887-1889
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 9 5⁄8 in. (24.4 cm) diam.
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. Armistead Peter III
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- bronze
- Subjects
- Occupation — writer — poet
- Portrait male — Whitman, Walt — bust
- Dress — accessory — hat
- Object Number
- 1958.11.24
Artwork Description
Sculptors often create medals to honor famous individuals, and here we see an image of the poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892), who wrote the classic Leaves of Grass in 1855. Whitman’s work was a landmark in American literature that celebrated the poetry of everyday life in a young and democratic nation. Paul Wayland Bartlett’s irregularly shaped medal is likely a study for a more finished work.
