Torso of Valor

Copied Leo Friedlander, Torso of Valor, by 1933, bronze, 34 3427 3412 38 in. (88.370.531.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Gordon D. Friedlander, 1971.150

Artwork Details

Title
Torso of Valor
Date
by 1933
Dimensions
34 3427 3412 38 in. (88.370.531.3 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Gordon D. Friedlander
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure female — nude
  • Figure female — torso
Object Number
1971.150

Artwork Description

Torso of Valor is a preparatory model for Leo Friedlander's equestrian sculptures Valor and Sacrifice, which together form the Arts of War monument, dedicated by President Harry Truman on Washington's Memorial Bridge in 1951. The finished gilded bronze monuments are the largest equestrian sculptures in America, each standing over nineteen feet high and ten feet wide. Instead of emphasizing her feminine features and idealizing her beauty, Friedlander decided to portray Valor as a fighter who personifies America's military power and moral courage in World War II.