William Henry Rinehart, Henry Elliott Johnston, 1873, marble, 24 x 16 1⁄2 x 11 1⁄2 in. (60.9 x 41.9 x 29.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Harriet Lane Johnston, 1906.9.15
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Henry Elliott Johnston
- Artist
- Date
- 1873
- Location
- Dimensions
- 24 x 16 1⁄2 x 11 1⁄2 in. (60.9 x 41.9 x 29.2 cm)
- Credit Line
- Bequest of Harriet Lane Johnston
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- marble
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Portrait male — Johnston, Henry Elliott — nude
- Portrait male — Johnston, Henry Elliott — bust
- Object Number
- 1906.9.15
Artwork Description
Henry Elliott Johnston (1831-1884) was a Baltimore railroad executive and banker. He and his wife, Harriet, traveled frequently to Europe to build their art collection, and this bust was created on one of their trips to Rome. Like other wealthy Americans of the Gilded Age, the Johnstons hoped that America would one day compete with European art institutions. They anticipated that their private collection would contribute to that process by becoming part of “a national gallery of art.”
