Saint John the Evangelist

Thomas Ball, Saint John the Evangelist, 1875, marble, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Robert and Judith Bahssin, 1990.26
Copied Thomas Ball, Saint John the Evangelist, 1875, marble, 46 7817 1219 14 in. (119.144.548.9 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Robert and Judith Bahssin, 1990.26
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Saint John the Evangelist
Artist
Date
1875
Dimensions
46 7817 1219 14 in. (119.144.548.9 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Robert and Judith Bahssin
Mediums
Mediums Description
marble
Classifications
Keywords
  • Dress — historic — classical dress
  • Religion — saint — St. John
Object Number
1990.26

Artwork Description

Saint John the Evangelist was one of the few allegorical sculptures that Thomas Ball made in his life. It was a private commission that Ball agreed to do partly because of his own deep religious faith. The idealized style and white marble present him as a holy, inspired man. Ball took great pride in this statue because his friend Hiram Powers, the most prominent and controversial American sculptor of the day, had said it was his finest work.