Henry De Forest Baldwin Portrait Medal (obverse)

Paul Manship, Henry De Forest Baldwin Portrait Medal (obverse), 1939, bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.129
Copied Paul Manship, Henry De Forest Baldwin Portrait Medal (obverse), 1939, bronze, 4 in. (10.2 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.129

Artwork Details

Title
Henry De Forest Baldwin Portrait Medal (obverse)
Artist
Date
1939
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
4 in. (10.2 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Bequest of Paul Manship
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — Baldwin, Henry De Forest — head
  • Occupation — law
Object Number
1966.47.129
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1966.47.129

Artwork Description

Paul Manship’s portrait medal shows Henry de Forest Baldwin (1862-1947), a descendant of Roger Sherman, who signed the Declaration of Independence. Baldwin started his law practice in 1888 in New York and became a powerful behind-the-scenes figure active in reforming the city’s corrupt politics. He was eulogized in 1947 as a rock-ribbed “Connecticut Yankee” and “a noble Roman” whose quiet integrity accounted for his wide-ranging influence. When Manship created this medal in 1939, he was associated with Baldwin through the American Academy in Rome and the Century Club in Manhattan, where both men served as president.