Walt Whitman

Paul Wayland Bartlett, Walt Whitman, modeled ca. 1887-1889, bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Armistead Peter III, 1958.11.24
Copied Paul Wayland Bartlett, Walt Whitman, modeled ca. 1887-1889, bronze, 9 58 in. (24.4 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Armistead Peter III, 1958.11.24
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Walt Whitman
Date
modeled ca. 1887-1889
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
9 58 in. (24.4 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Armistead Peter III
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Keywords
  • Dress — accessory — hat
  • Portrait male — Whitman, Walt — bust
  • Occupation — writer — poet
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.