“A free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.” – Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man.

Jan Stussy, "A free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to."--Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man., 1965, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Container Corporation of America, 1984.124.280
Jan Stussy, "A free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to."--Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man., 1965, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in. (122.0 x 122.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Container Corporation of America, 1984.124.280

Artwork Details

Title
“A free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.” – Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man.
Artist
Date
1965
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
48 x 48 in. (122.0 x 122.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Container Corporation of America
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure male — nude
  • Object — other — writing tool
Object Number
1984.124.280
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1984.124.280

Works by this artist (7 items)

View all artworks
John McQueen, Touch, 1987, tied red osier sticks, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jane and Arthur K. Mason on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, 1996.98.7
Touch
Artist
Date1987
tied red osier sticks
Not on view
John McQueen, Untitled, 1985, white pine bark with ash stitching, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by Mrs. Marshall Langhorne, 1988.55A-H
Untitled
Artist
Date1985
white pine bark with ash stitching
Not on view
John McQueen, Untitled, 1992, yucca, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Eleanor T. and Samuel J. Rosenfeld, 1997.41.3
Untitled
Artist
Date1992
yucca
Not on view
John McQueen, Untitled #94, 1980, cedar bark and ash, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Julian and Elsa Waller in memory of Charles R. Gailis, member, Board of Directors, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts 1972-1991, President of the Board 1975-1981, and constant chronicler of Haystack life, 2007.16
Untitled #94
Artist
Date1980
cedar bark and ash
Not on view

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Robert S. Duncanson, Roses Still Life, ca. 1842-1848, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Leonard Granoff, 1983.95.167
Roses Still Life
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