Hope

Hiram Powers, Hope, modeled 1866, marble, 28 1219 1211 34 in. (72.549.429.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase in memory of Ralph Cross Johnson, 1968.155.27
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Hope
Artist
Date
modeled 1866
Dimensions
28 1219 1211 34 in. (72.549.429.7 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase in memory of Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
marble
Classifications
Subjects
  • Dress — historic — classical dress
  • Allegory — quality — hope
Object Number
1968.155.27

Artwork Description

The three busts Hope, Faith, and Charity were commissioned by Marshall Woods, a prominent figure from Rhode Island. In 1852 he visited Hiram Powers’s studio and requested a pair of ideal sculptures. Powers did not act on this, however, and on a second trip to Florence fourteen years later Woods repeated his request. Powers persuaded him to commission three statues instead of two, of the Christian virtues faith, hope, and charity. All three figures have the same composed expression, but Powers created different emotions by altering the direction of each woman’s gaze: Hope looks to the side in anticipation, Faith lifts her head with confidence, and Charity stares straight ahead in contemplation.

Works by this artist (2 items)

Milton Glaser, "Everything that enlarges the sphere of human powers, that shows man he can do what he thought he could not do, is valuable.."--Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1791. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man., 1957, India ink, gouache, watercolor, and varnish on paperboard mounted on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Container Corporation of America, 1984.124.108
Everything that enlarges the sphere of human powers, that…
Date1957
India ink, gouache, watercolor, and varnish on paperboard mounted on paperboard
Not on view
Milton Glaser, Earth Fair (Art Air), 1995, mechanical reproduction on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1998.4, © 1995, Milton Glaser
Earth Fair (Art Air)
Date1995
mechanical reproduction on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

New York Cultural Center
Artist
Date1973
color lithograph
Not on view
Walt Kuhn, Christmas Greetings 1937, 1937, hand-colored photo-mechanical relief reproduction of an ink drawing, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of LaSalle Spier, 1980.124.32
Christmas Greetings 1937
Date1937
hand-colored photo-mechanical relief reproduction of an ink drawing
Not on view