Larger 19th Century Marble Statue of Hiawatha and Minnehaha

View Similar Items

LARGE 19TH-CENTURY MARBLE STATUE - 120 cm

19th Century Marble Statue of Mother and Child

19th Century Marble statue of a classical maiden.

Italian 19th Century Alabaster and Marble Statue

Classical Late 19th Century Marble Statue of a Reclining Nude

19th Century French Bronze and Marble Statue

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble and Ormolu Statues

Continental 19th Century Neoclassical St. Ormolu and Marble Statue of Athena

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Marble Statues

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Marble Statue of Cupid

A Large Terracotta Statue of Discobolus, 19th Century

Large 19th Century Bronze Statue of Stella

About the Item

Manner of Edmonia Lewis (American, 1844-1907): A large 19th century Carrara marble figural group of the marriage of Hiawatha and Minnehaha the Native American Indian couple strolling together, Hiawatha with his arm around his lover as they gaze into each others eyes, she wears a fur pelt slung across her shoulders, Hiawatha nude except for a fig leaf and carrying a (later) spear, on a naturalistic circular base carved with leaves and flowers, 127cm high Mary Edmonia Lewis was a quite exceptional woman, not only was she one of the few female sculptors working in marble during the 19th century, she was also the first woman of African-American and Native American heritage to achieve international fame and recognition as a sculptor. The restrictions female artists faced in the 19th and early 20th century were numerous, and for sculptors it was even more difficult to succeed as the physical act of moving and carving the marble was extremely strenuous. Lewis was born free in New York and moved to Boston in 1864 where she was finally accepted as a pupil by the sculptor Edward Augustus Brackett after three other sculptors refused to teach her. His speciality was marble portrait busts, and having crafted her own sculpting tools, Lewis began to produce busts of her own, eventually setting up her own studio. Inspired by the abolitionists she sculpted portraits of John Brown and Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. The Shaw family were so impressed with her depiction of the Colonel that they purchased it, and Lewis made reproductions of the bust which she sold for $115 each. She used these funds to move to Rome, where she spent most of her career. Here she enjoyed a successful career and continued to work on themes relating to black and Native American people but used the traditional neoclassical style to portray them, The present sculpture is unusual for just that reason, here a Native American couple are depicted in the Neo-Classical style, in a pose much more reminiscent of Cupid and Psyche, or Thorvaldsen's Venus and Adonis or Canova's famous group of the same subject. Lewis produced her own version of Hiawatha and Minnehaha, which is of similar style to the present group, which like our sculpture, used a visual language that her patrons were accustomed to and admired and yet depicted subjects that were more relevant to her own heritage.

Dimensions:
Height: 50.01 in (127 cm)Width: 26.78 in (68 cm)Depth: 24.41 in (62 cm)
Style:
Neoclassical (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Carrara Marble,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Central America
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1880
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Some old restoration.
Seller Location:
Brighton, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: Batch 37 1stDibs: LU1227216871931

More From This Seller

View All

19th Century Marble Statue of Mother and Child

By Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse

Located in Brighton, Sussex

An enchanting 19th century carved marble statue of a seated mother and child playing on her shoulders.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Romantic Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

19th Century Marble Statue of Mother and Child

$7,599

19th Century Marble statue of a classical maiden.

Located in Brighton, Sussex

An enchanting late 19th Century French carved marble statue of a semi nude classical maiden, circa 1890. Batch 78 62828 SNKZZ

Category

Antique 19th Century French Romantic Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Marble

19th Century Marble statue of a classical maiden.

$17,641

Classical Late 19th Century Marble Statue of a Reclining Nude

Located in Brighton, Sussex

A fine quality late 19th century French marble statue of a classical female nude reclining on a tigers skin and bronze daybed. Signed: G Gomlags.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble, Bronze

Classical Late 19th Century Marble Statue of a Reclining Nude

$13,570

Large 19th Century Bronze Statue of Stella

Located in Brighton, Sussex

A large good quality 19th century bronze statue of Stella with child, having a wonderful patina.

Category

Antique 19th Century French Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Large 19th Century Bronze Statue of Stella

$9,770

19th Century Italian Marble Statue of Crying Child

Located in Brighton, Sussex

A very good quality mid-19th century Italian marble statue of a young child standing next to a wicker basket, crying. Unsigned.

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

19th Century Italian Marble Statue of Crying Child

$13,570

Italian Marble Statue of ' Crouching Venus', late C20th

Located in Brighton, Sussex

A fine quality early 20th Century Carrera marble statue of ' Crouching Venus'. Marble statue of a naked Aphrodite crouching at her bath, also k...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Classical Greek Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Italian Marble Statue of ' Crouching Venus', late C20th

$16,284

Antique 1890s Mounted Objects

Materials

Carrara Marble

LARGE 19TH-CENTURY MARBLE STATUE - 120 cm

$15,205

Italian 19th Century Alabaster and Marble Statue

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

An elegant and decorative Italian 19th century alabaster and marble statue of a Greek goddess Ariadne seated on her panther. Gazing towards her left while her elbow rests on her pant...

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Alabaster, Marble

Italian 19th Century Alabaster and Marble Statue

$13,800

19th Century French Bronze and Marble Statue

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Signed. Very fine details.

Category

Antique 19th Century French Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century French Bronze and Marble Statue

$3,250

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble and Ormolu Statues

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A striking true pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. black Belgian marble and ormolu statues of Cleopatra and Semiramis, signed Bouret 1874. Each statue is raised by an eleg...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Ormolu

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble and Ormolu Statues

$14,900 / set

Continental 19th Century Neoclassical St. Ormolu and Marble Statue of Athena

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A most decorative and high quality Continental 19th century neo-classical st. ormolu and marble statue of Athena. The statue is raised by a plinth wit...

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Neoclassical Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Continental 19th Century Neoclassical St. Ormolu and Marble Statue of Athena

$15,200

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Marble Statues

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A striking and high quality pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu, black Porphyry and fossilized marble statues of Minerva and Hermes. Each statue is raised by a beaut...

Category