Search Results

Artist:

Powers, Hiram 1805-1873  Search this

Photographic firm:

Detroit Publishing Co.  Search this

Type:

Photograph

Date:

1846

Topic:

Figure female--Nude  Search this

Figure female--Full length  Search this

State of Being--Other--Enslaved  Search this

Ethnic  Search this

Image number:

SSC S0001904

See more items in:

Photograph Study Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art Study Collection of American Sculpture Photographs

Data Source:

Photograph Study Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_jul_128619

Artist:

Powers, Hiram 1805-1873  Search this

Type:

Photograph

Date:

Modeled 1841-1843. Carved ca. 1873

Topic:

Figure female--Nude  Search this

Figure female--Full length  Search this

State of Being--Other--Enslaved  Search this

Ethnic  Search this

Image number:

SSC S0001905

See more items in:

Photograph Study Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art Study Collection of American Sculpture Photographs

Data Source:

Photograph Study Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_jul_128620

Artist:

Powers, Hiram 1805-1873  Search this

Type:

Photograph

Date:

Modeled 1841-1843. Carved ca. 1873

Topic:

Figure female--Nude  Search this

Figure female--Full length  Search this

State of Being--Other--Enslaved  Search this

Ethnic  Search this

Image number:

SSC S0001906

See more items in:

Photograph Study Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art Study Collection of American Sculpture Photographs

Data Source:

Photograph Study Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_jul_128621

Artist:

Powers, Hiram 1805-1873  Search this

Type:

Photograph

Date:

1842

Topic:

Figure female--Nude  Search this

Figure female--Bust  Search this

State of Being--Other--Enslaved  Search this

Ethnic  Search this

Image number:

SSC S0001907

See more items in:

Photograph Study Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art Study Collection of American Sculpture Photographs

Data Source:

Photograph Study Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_jul_128622

Creator:

Dentler, Clara Louise, b. 1887  Search this

Names:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

196-?

Scope and Contents:

An unpublished manuscript (includes notes and appendix) written by Clara Louise Dentler about sculptor Hiram Powers.

Biographical / Historical:

Clara Louise Dentler (b. 1887) was a Hiram Powers' grandaughter.

Provenance:

Donated by Clara Louise Dentler, Hiram Powers' grandaughter.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Sculptors -- Italy -- Florence  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.dentclar

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b1f2b475-f45d-48b9-8d26-06908414a1cb

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-dentclar

Creator:

Anthony, Alfred Williams, 1860-1939  Search this

Names:

National Arts Club (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Abbey, Edwin Austin, 1852-1911  Search this

Beard, Daniel Carter, 1850-1941  Search this

Benjamin, S. G. W. (Samuel Greene Wheeler), 1837-1914  Search this

Bierstadt, Albert, 1830-1902  Search this

Blashfield, Edwin Howland, 1848-1936  Search this

Brenner, Victor David, 1871-1924  Search this

Chase, William Merritt, 1849-1916  Search this

Church, Frederic Edwin, 1826-1900  Search this

Coffin, William A. (William Anderson), 1855-1925  Search this

Cole, Thomas, 1801-1848  Search this

Cole, Timothy, 1852-1931  Search this

Cortissoz, Royal, 1869-1948  Search this

Cranch, Christopher Pearse, 1813-1892  Search this

Darley, Felix Octavius Carr, 1822-1888  Search this

Dielman, Frederick, 1847-1935  Search this

Downing, A. J. (Andrew Jackson), 1815-1852  Search this

Eastlake, Charles Lock, Sir, 1793-1865  Search this

French, Daniel Chester, 1850-1931  Search this

Gifford, Sanford Robinson, 1823-1880  Search this

Herbert, Henry William, 1807-1858  Search this

Homer, Winslow, 1836-1910  Search this

Huntington, Daniel, 1816-1906  Search this

Isham, Norman Morrison, 1864-1943  Search this

La Farge, John, 1835-1910  Search this

Leavitt, Edward C., d. 1904  Search this

Linton, W. J. (William James), 1812-1897  Search this

Lossing, Benson John, 1813-1891  Search this

Low, Will Hicok, 1853-1932  Search this

McEntee, Jervis, 1828-1891  Search this

Mills, John Harrison, 1842-1916  Search this

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872  Search this

Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902  Search this

Opper, Frederick Burr, 1857-1937  Search this

Palmer, Erastus Dow, 1817-1904  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Pyle, Howard, 1853-1911  Search this

Read, Thomas Buchanan, 1822-1872  Search this

Rosenthal, Albert, 1863-1939  Search this

Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1848-1907  Search this

Sartain, John, 1808-1897  Search this

Smillie, George Frederick Cumming, 1854-1924  Search this

Smith, Francis Hopkinson, 1838-1915  Search this

Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878  Search this

Trumbull, John, 1756-1843  Search this

Tuckerman, Henry T. (Henry Theodore), 1813-1871  Search this

Volk, Douglas , 1856-1935  Search this

Ward, John Quincy Adams, 1830-1910  Search this

Waters, Clara Erskine Clement, 1834-1916  Search this

Weir, Robert Walter, 1803-1889  Search this

Extent:

2 Microfilm reels (partial microfilm reels)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Microfilm reels

Date:

circa1880-1930

Scope and Contents:

The microfilmed Alfred Williams Anthony papers contain letters, autographs, biographical data, and miscellaneous material collected by Anthony about 19th century artists.

Artists represented in the collection include: Edwin A. Abbey, Ernest Albert, Elizabeth A. Allen, Daniel C. Beard, Frank Beard, Samuel G. W. Benjamin, Albert Bierstadt, Nathaniel Blaisdell, Edwin H. Blashfield, Evangeline Blashfield, Charles W. Bolton, Victor D. Brenner, Sydney & Mrs. Burleigh, William M. Chase, Frederic E. Church, Harry Cochrane, William A. Coffin, Timothy Cole, Thomas Cole, Royal Cortissoz, Palmer Cox, Christopher Cranch, Felix O. C. Darley, Frederick Dellenbaugh, Frederick Dielman, Andrew J. Downing, Charles L. Eastlake, George W. Edwards, Daniel C. French, Edmund H. Garrett, Sanford R. Gifford, V. Gribayedoff, Henry W. Herbert, Elbert Hubbard, Daniel Huntington, Laurence Hutton, Ernest L. Ipshen, Norman W. Isham, F. Lynn Jenkins, John La Farge, Edward C. Leavitt, William J. Linton, Benson J. Lossing, Will H. Low, Jervis McEntee, George Merrill, John H. Mills, Thomas Moran, Samuel F.B. Morse, A. R. Mullen, Thomas Nast, National Arts Club, Wilbur F. Noyes,Frederick B. Opper, Mrs. Archie M. Palmer, Erastus D. Palmer, William F. Paris, Carl R. Parker, Hiram Powers, Howard Pyle, Thomas B. Read, Albert Rosenthal, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, John Sartain, Walter Smedley, George F. C. Smillie, Francis H. Smith, Bayard Taylor, Col. Henry S. Taylor, John Trumbull, Henry T. Tuckerman, Union League Club, N.Y., D. B. Updike, Vasili Vereschagen, Charles Vezin, Douglas Volk, D. Everett Waid, John Q. A. Ward, Clara E. Waters, Robert W. Weir, J. Thomson Willing, Ellsworth Woodward, Mabel Woodward, William Woodward, and F. Hammond Wright.

Biographical / Historical:

Alfred Williams Anthony (1860-1939) was a theologian, author, and educator in Lewiston, Maine. He served in various roles for the General Conference of Freewill Baptists, the Maine chapter of the Religious Education Association, and the Committee on Goodwill between Jews and Christians. Anthony also served on the boards of trustees for Bates College, Hillsdale College, and Brown University.

Related Materials:

The New York Public Library Archives and Manuscripts Division holds the Alfred Williams Anthony collection, 1679-1944. Bates College Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library holds the Alfred Williams Anthony papers, 1872-1996 and the Dressler family collection of Alfred Williams Anthony Papers, 1802-1985.

Provenance:

Microfilmed 1956 by the Archives of American Art with other art-related papers in the Manuscript Division of the New York Public Library. Included in the microfilming project were selected papers of the Art Division and the Prints Division.

Restrictions:

The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

Occupation:

Educators -- Maine -- Lewiston  Search this

Theologians -- Maine  Search this

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.anthalfr

See more items in:

Alfred Williams Anthony papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fbd0fda8-8fc8-489b-81c5-ed2a3e13ff88

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-anthalfr

Creator:

Read family  Search this

Names:

Bierstadt, Albert, 1830-1902  Search this

Church, Frederic Edwin, 1826-1900  Search this

Fosdick, W. W. (William Whiteman), 1825-1862  Search this

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881  Search this

Hosmer, Harriet Goodhue, 1830-1908  Search this

Knaus, Ludwig, 1829-1910  Search this

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807-1882  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Read, Harriet Denison Butler, 1837-1935  Search this

Read, Mary Alice, 1845-1870  Search this

Read, Mary Pratt, 1818-1855  Search this

Read, Thomas Buchanan, 1822-1872  Search this

Richards, T. Addison (Thomas Addison), 1820-1900  Search this

Rogers, Randolph, 1825-1892  Search this

Sartain, John, 1808-1897  Search this

Sheridan, Philip Henry, 1831-1888  Search this

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891  Search this

Story, William Wetmore, 1819-1895  Search this

Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892  Search this

Extent:

229 Items ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1848-1935

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence between Read family members, Thomas Buchanan Read, Mary Pratt Read, Mary Alice Read, and Harriet Denison Butler Read, and notable military, literary, political, and artistic figures, particluarly of the 19th century. Correspondents include Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Edwin Church, William Whiteman Fosdick, Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, Ludwig Knaus, Hiram Powers, Thomas Addison Richards, Randolph Rogers, John Sartain, William Wetmore Story, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John Greenleaf Whittier, Philip Sheridan, James Garfield, and William Tecumseh Sherman, among others.

Biographical / Historical:

Thomas Buchanan Read was a poet, a portrait and history painter, and sometime sculptor, and worked in the U.S. and abroad.

Provenance:

Lent for microfilming 1979 by Denison L. Burton.

Restrictions:

The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

Occupation:

Poets  Search this

Portrait painters  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.readread

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99262ecc1-862a-4343-934c-ede08df92be2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-readread

Creator:

Metzler, Paul B.  Search this

Names:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Extent:

299 Pages

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Date:

undated

Scope and Contents:

Thesis (M.A.) -- Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 1939.

Provenance:

Lent for microfilming by Ohio State University.

Restrictions:

The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

Identifier:

AAA.metzpaul

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a1b0e6e4-5bdc-4e0c-9a34-a8a20d36bc15

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-metzpaul

Creator:

Robb, James, 1814-1881  Search this

Names:

Chapman, J. G. (John Gadsby), 1808-1889  Search this

Gilpin, Henry D. (Henry Dilworth), 1801-1860  Search this

Healy, G. P. A. (George Peter Alexander), 1813-1894  Search this

Huntington, Daniel, 1816-1906  Search this

Kellogg, Miner K. (Miner Kilbourne), 1814-1889  Search this

Kemble, William  Search this

Macalester, Charles, 1798-1873  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Weir, Robert Walter, 1803-1889  Search this

Wilde, Richard Henry, 1789-1847  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1846-1871

Scope and Contents:

Fourteen letters written to Robb, 1846-1871, from John Gadsby Chapman, Henry Dilworth Gilpin, James H. Hackett, George Peter Alexander Healy, Daniel Huntington, Miner Kilbourne Kellogg, William Kemble, Charles Macalester, Hiram Powers, Robert Walter Weir, and Richard Henry Wilde; a letter written to "My Dear Sir" by Robb, 1848; a handwritten copy of an agreement between Hiram Powers and Robb concerning the exhibiting of Powers' THE GREEK SLAVE, 1848; a page of clippings, undated and 1859, relating to the sale of the Robb collection and to his railroad affiliation.

Biographical / Historical:

Railroad and banking tycoon, art collector; active in New Orleans in the mid-nineteenth century. Robb collected European and American art. Much of his collection was sold in 1859; some works from his collection are in the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Provenance:

Donated 1983 by Herbert Gray, a collector of autographed letters. This group of James Robb papers was included in a scrapbook that Mr. Gray purchased, containing letters to and from various historical figures. The remainder of the James Robb items from the scrapbook (ca. 157 letters and receipts pertaining to the purchase and sale of the Robb art collection) were donated to the Historic New Orleans Collection, a major repository of manuscript material on Robb.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Artists -- United States  Search this

Sculptors  Search this

Painters  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Louisiana -- New Orleans  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.robbjame

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw908d8cd3a-f820-46d0-afd9-f477c6f3698c

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-robbjame

Creator:

Claghorn, James Lawrence, 1817-1884  Search this

Names:

Goupil & Cie  Search this

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts  Search this

Church, Frederic Edwin, 1826-1900  Search this

Durand, Asher Brown, 1796-1886  Search this

Kensett, John Frederick, 1816-1872  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Read, Thomas Buchanan, 1822-1872  Search this

Rothermel, Peter Frederick, 1812-1895  Search this

Whittredge, Worthington, 1820-1910  Search this

Extent:

0.8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Date:

1849-1882

Scope and Contents:

Letters (1849-1856), business records (1849-1856), a visitors' register (1873-1885), and a scrapbook (ca. 1866-1885) concern the acquisition of paintings and prints for Claghorn's collection.

REEL 3580: 37 letters (1849-1882) to Claghorn regard his art collection and dealing activities and include letters from Goupil & Cie., J. Crumby, who served as a purchasing agent, Frederic Edwin Church, John Frederick Kensett, Hiram Powers, Thomas Buchanan Read, Peter F. Rothermel, and Thomas Worthington Whittredge.

REEL 4131: Visitors Register, March 18, 1873-Jan. 1885, containing names and addresses of those who viewed the Claghorn Collection; many artists, local art students and instructors, and foreign visitors are listed. Scrapbook, most likely compiled by Claghorn with posthumous entries added by family, contains mainly newspaper clippings concerning Claghorn, his collections, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, art activities in Philadelphia, and artists (particularly printmakers); also includes photograph of Seymour Haden, catalogs of the Claghorn Collection, admission tickets, reprints of lengthy articles about Claghorn and his collections, and a few letters to J. Raymond Claghorn [son of James L.] regarding the disposition of the collection and its sale to Thomas Harrison Garrett.

REEL 4152: 88 letters (1848-1864) from various agents in New York and Europe regard purchases of paintings, prints and sculpture by artists, including Asher B. Durand and Worthington Whittredge. Four letters regard paintings to be exhibited at the Great Sanitary Fair. Nine letters (1855-1864) from Thomas Buchanan Read regard his activities in England. Read's letters from Cincinnati discuss his poetry and commissions for his paintings.

Biographical / Historical:

Collector and art patron; Philadelphia, Pa. Claghorn was an officer of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia School of Design for Women. Best known for his print collection, he began by collecting paintings by American artists, ca. 1840. In 1877, he sold his painting collection in order to devote his efforts to his print collection. His private gallery in Philadelphia was open to visitors, and selections from the Claghorn Collection were exhibited in other cities. After his death, his print collection was purchased by Thomas Harrison Garrett, and thereafter was known as the Garrett Collection. After being on long-term loan to the Library of Congress between 1904 and 1930, the collection is now owned by the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Related Materials:

Also in the Archives on microfilm only are papers lent for microfilming by the Philadelphia Maritime Museum (reel 3581), including: letters and receipts addressed to Claghorn document the purchase and sale of American and European paintings and prints (1849-1856). There are also inventories of shipments. Letters frequently include titles and prices.

Provenance:

Materials on reel 3581 were borrowed for filming from Philadelphia Maritime Museum. Materials on reel 3580 were borrowed for filming from John W. Claghorn on July 16, 1985, and were later donated to the Archives of American Art by his descendant Frederic S. Claghorn along with additional letters appearing on reel 4152. Material on reel 4131 was donated by Mabel Claghorn Bulkeley, granddaughter of James L. Claghorn.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Painters  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this

Art museum attendance  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Identifier:

AAA.clagjame

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9df2290d3-d1a0-4a16-b9e3-04c0224957d2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-clagjame

Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Names:

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848  Search this

Astor, William B. (William Backhouse), 1792-1875  Search this

Atlee, Samuel Yorke, b. 1808  Search this

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 1806-1861  Search this

Bryant, William Cullen, 1794-1878  Search this

Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850  Search this

Crawford, Thomas, 1813 or 14-1857  Search this

Dix, John A. (John Adams), 1798-1879  Search this

Durand, Asher Brown, 1796-1886  Search this

Everett, Edward, 1794-1865  Search this

Fuller, Charles Francis  Search this

Gray, Henry Peters, 1819-1877  Search this

Greeley, Horace, 1811-1872  Search this

Healy, G.P.A. (George Peter Alexander), 1813-1894  Search this

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845  Search this

Kinney, E. Clementine  Search this

Kinney, William  Search this

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807-1882  Search this

Marsh, George Perkins, 1801-1882  Search this

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872  Search this

Peabody, George, 1795-1869  Search this

Powers, Longworth, 1835-1904  Search this

Powers, Preston, 1842 or 1843-1904  Search this

Sartain, John, 1808-1897  Search this

Story, William Wetmore, 1819-1895  Search this

Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878  Search this

Trollope, Francis  Search this

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852  Search this

Extent:

12.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Writings

Drawings

Poetry

Date:

1819-1953

bulk 1835-1883

Summary:

The papers of sculptor Hiram Powers measure 12.4 linear feet and date from 1819 to 1953, with the bulk of the material dating from 1835 to 1883. Over two-thirds of the collection consists of Powers' correspondence with business associates, purchasers of his artwork, and numerous friends in the United States and Florence, Italy. Of note is Powers' "Studio Memorandum," from 1841 to 1845, which contains dated notations of letters written, receipts and expenditures, business contacts, works in progress, commissions and price quotations for work, comments on problems encountered during studio work, and other notes. Additional papers include scattered biographical material, financial and legal records, printed materials, photographs of Powers, his family, artwork, as well as an extensive collection of carte de visite and cabinet card portraits of many notable figures. Also found is a small amount of artwork by Powers and others, a scrapbook, and two autograph and memorabilia albums.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of sculptor Hiram Powers measure 12.4 linear feet and date from 1819 to 1953, with the bulk of the material dating from 1835 to 1883. Over two-thirds of the collection consists of Powers' correspondence, which is particularly rich in documenting his artwork, methodology, and his interaction with business associates, purchasers of his artwork, and his numerous friends in the United States and Florence, Italy. Other papers include scattered biographical material, writings by Powers and others, financial and legal records, news clippings and printed items, photographs of Powers, his family, artwork, as well as an extensive collection of carte de visite and cabinet card portraits of many notable figures. Also found is a small amount of artwork by Powers and others, a scrapbook, and two autograph and memorabilia albums.

Biographical material consists of documents for honors conferred on Powers, price lists and inventories of his artwork, papers regarding his death, including a translation of his will, and ephemera, such as his studio cap.

The bulk of the collection consists of Powers' correspondence with family, friends, business associates, and others, documenting his career as an artist and his personal life after he and his family moved to Florence, Italy, in 1837. Almost all of the letters have typed unconfirmed transcriptions completed by volunteers at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Besides details of his studio work and business dealings, his letters often discuss his views on aesthetics, American politics, slavery and the Civil War, and Spiritualism. Notable correspondence is with William B. Astor, Edward Everett, Samuel York Atlee, William and E. Clementine Kinney, George P. Marsh, George Peabody, Presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams, William Cullen Bryant, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, John C. Calhoun, Thomas Crawford, John A. Dix, Asher Durand, Charles Francis Fuller, Henry Peters Gray, Horace Greeley, George P. A. Healy, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Samuel F. B. Morse, W. W. Story, John Sartain, Frances Trollope, and Daniel Webster.

Writings by Powers include his "Studio Memorandum," a journal-type notebook he kept from 1841 to 1845, which contains dated notations of letters written, receipts and expenditures, business contacts, works in progress, commissions and price quotations for work, comments on problems encountered during studio work, and other notes. Additional writings include poetry and autobiographical essays and instructions for handling his sculptures. Writings by others include poetry, most of which was written in praise of Powers' artwork. Of note are handwritten transcripts of poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Bayard Taylor, and John Quincy Adams. Also found here are short writings about Powers and his artwork.

Scattered financial and legal records in this collection include patent documents for tools invented by Powers, legal agreements, account statements, and bills and receipts. Printed material consists of news clippings, two booklets, an art association brochure, and an exhibition catalog for works by Powers.

This collection contains photographs of Hiram Powers, his family, friends, notable public figures, and artwork. Many of the photographs were taken by his son, Longworth Powers, who had a private photography studio in Florence. Included are portraits of Powers and his family, as well as a collection of 267 carte de visite and cabinet card portraits of artists, performers, politicians, writers, scientists, and other public figures, many of whom were friends with the Powers family. Other photographs depict Woodstock, Vermont, the marble quarry at Carrara, Italy, and artwork by Hiram and Preston Powers. Also found here is a photograph album kept by Louisa Powers.

Artwork consists of three drawings by Hiram Powers, including a caricature of Miner Kellogg. Also found in this collection is a scrapbook containing news clippings regarding the American tour of the sculpture Greek Slave, an autograph album belonging to Louisa Powers, and an album containing pencil drawings by Preston Powers and dried flowers collected on travels.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 8 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1841-1927 (Box 1, 15; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1819-1883 (Box 1-10; 9.0 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1827-1887 (Box 10; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 4: Financial and Legal Records, circa 1840s-1892, 1915 (Box 10, OV 17; 8 folders)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1845-1953 (Box 10; 5 folders)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1860s-1900, 1927, 1932, early 1950s (Box 10-13, 16, OV 17; 1.8 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, 1860, mid-1800s (Box 11; 4 folders)

Series 8: Scrapbooks and Albums, 1847-1876 (Box 14; 3 folders)

Biographical Note:

American sculptor Hiram Powers (1805-1873) was born in Woodstock, Vermont, and lived and worked briefly in Washington, D.C. and Boston, before settling permanently in Florence, Italy. Powers is known for portrait busts of prominent American politicians and his idealized neo-classical sculptures, most notably the Greek Slave.

The second youngest of nine children, Powers moved with his family to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1817. When he was 18 he began working in a factory that repaired watches and organs, and he later worked in the mechanical department of Dorfeuille's Western Museum. There, he developed his interest in sculpture and received a commission to create wax figures for a tableau of Dante's Inferno. In 1825 he studied with the Prussian sculptor Frederick Eckstein, who taught him how to model clay and make plaster casts. His early commissions for portrait busts caught the attention of Nicholas Longworth, who became his first patron and funded his travel to Washington, DC, in 1834. While in Washington, Powers completed portrait busts of several prominent politicians, including President Andrew Jackson. He also briefly worked on several commissions in Boston. In 1837, thanks to the patronage of Colonel John S. Preston, he and his family moved to Florence, Italy. He intended to live there for only a few years, but remained there for the rest of his life.

Powers set up a studio in Florence with several assistants, and continued to work on portrait bust commissions. He and his family were active members of the intellectual community of American and English émigrés, such as Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Horatio Greenough, the Trollope family, and many others. His studio was also a frequent stop on tourists' visits to Florence. In 1839 Powers began working on idealized sculptures in the Neo-classical style, based on history, mythology, and religion. Perhaps most famous of these are Greek Slave and Fisher Boy. Completed in 1845, Greek Slave was exhibited in London and toured the United States. The sculpture received wide attention from the press for its depiction of female nudity and its philosophical significance, and established Powers' international success as a sculptor.

During his career Powers received private and government commissions for portrait busts and ideal sculptures, and sold many replicas of his work. He also invented improved tools for use in his studio, which were patented in the United States, and he developed a special finishing process for marble from the Carrara quarry. He maintained friendships with many Americans through extensive correspondence, and openly expressed his views on the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. Powers' son Longworth had a photography and sculpture studio nearby, and his son Preston, also a sculptor, took over many of Hiram Powers' remaining projects at the time of his death in 1873.

Related Material:

Additional Hiram Powers papers are available at the Winterthur Museum.

Separated Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds materials lent for microfilming. Reel D117 contains "The Sculpture of Hiram Powers," by Paul B. Metzler. Reels 815-818 includes a "Collection of Letters from Old Residents of Cincinnati to Hiram Powers," compiled by Clara Louise Dentler. Reels 1102-1103 are comprised of an unpublished manuscript entitled "White Marble: The Life and Letters of Hiram Powers, Sculptor," by Clara Louise Dentler. Lent materials were returned to the lenders and are not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

The Hiram Powers papers were purchased by the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 1967 from Christina Seeber, great-granddaughter of Hiram Powers which was subsequenlty transferred to the Archives of American Art in 1984. The Cincinnati Historical Society and Ohio State University also lent the Archives omaterials for microfilming in 1974.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Topic:

Sculptors -- Italy -- Florence  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Writings

Drawings

Poetry

Citation:

Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

Identifier:

AAA.powehira

See more items in:

Hiram Powers papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90ad32f84-2619-4144-9600-0e9de7d6372d

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-powehira

Creator:

Preston, John S. (John Smith), 1809-1881  Search this

Names:

Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850  Search this

Clay, Henry, 1777-1852  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852  Search this

Extent:

60 Items ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1836-1927

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence with Hiram Powers;and Preston family papers and sketches.

Reel 74: Correspondence is primarily between John S. Preston and Powers regarding the state of Powers' work, including Preston and Hampton family busts, busts of Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and other sculpture; also, U.S. government funding of commissions, Powers' views on the state of the Union, Preston's concerns with family affairs, legislative stands, and politics. Also included are family papers; a marriage certificate; an affadavit on a painting, "Madonna of the Window"; and a family genealogy. [microfilm title: Preston Family]

Unmicrofilmed: Sketches, unsigned, of cows and sheep and one of a boy with his dog.

Biographical / Historical:

Patrons; South Carolina

Other Title:

Preston family [microfilm title]

Provenance:

The lender, Mrs. D.L. Young, is a descendant of the Preston family.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.presjohs

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9aaefa49f-c0b7-4796-b850-deea1350c4f0

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-presjohs

Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Names:

Greeley, Horace, 1811-1872  Search this

McHenry, James, 1817-1891  Search this

Extent:

2 Items ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1852 Apr. 4-Dec. 30

Scope and Contents:

REEL D10: Letter to Horace Greeley, Dec. 30, 1852.

REEL D30: Letter to James Howard McHenry, April 4, 1852.

Biographical / Historical:

Sculptor; United States and Italy.

Provenance:

Donated 1955-1962 by Charles E. Feinberg, an active donor and friend of AAA.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Sculptors -- United States  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.powehirl

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93b1c2e43-eb70-4903-a19a-31529276dd84

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-powehirl

Creator:

Kellogg, Miner K. (Miner Kilbourne), 1814-1889  Search this

Names:

Cleveland Academy of Art  Search this

Lenox Library  Search this

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

National Academy of Design (U.S.)  Search this

Benjamin, Park, 1809-1864  Search this

Cesnola, Luigi Palma di, 1832-1904  Search this

Clark, Lewis Gaylord, 1808-1873  Search this

Curtis, George William, 1824-1892  Search this

Custis, George Washington Parke, 1781-1857  Search this

Everett, Edward, 1794-1865  Search this

Gayarré, Charles, 1805-1895  Search this

Gilpin, Henry D. (Henry Dilworth), 1801-1860  Search this

Griswold, Rufus W. (Rufus Wilmot), 1815-1857  Search this

Johnson, Reverdy, 1796-1876  Search this

Kearny, Philip, 1815-1862  Search this

Kirkland, Caroline M. (Caroline Matilda), 1801-1864  Search this

Macready, William Charles, 1793-1873  Search this

Marlay, Charles Brinsley, 1831-1912  Search this

Marsh, George Perkins, 1801-1882  Search this

Parsons, Theophilus, 1750-1813  Search this

Poinsett, Joel Roberts, 1779-1851  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Ream, Vinnie, 1847-1914  Search this

Russell, Samuel H.  Search this

Scott, Winfield, Mrs  Search this

Sherman, Ellen Ewing, 1824-1888  Search this

Slidell, John, 1793-1871  Search this

Somers, Virginia, Lady  Search this

Stratford de Redcliffe, Stratford Canning, Viscount, 1786-1880  Search this

Swedenborg, Emanuel, 1688-1772  Search this

Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878  Search this

Tiffany, Osmond, b. 1823  Search this

Tuckerman, Henry T. (Henry Theodore), 1813-1871  Search this

Wall, W. I.  Search this

Whittlesey, Elisha, 1783-1863  Search this

Wickliffe, R., Jr  Search this

Extent:

0.6 Linear feet ((on 3 microfilm reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Date:

1842-1882

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence, photographs, writings, a scrapbook, and printed materials.

REELS D30 and D33: Correspondence, clippings, and photographs. Included are letters from George William Curtis to Kellogg, October 1846-January 1847, describing Rome (incorrectly attributed to George Washington Parke Custis on microfilm); a letter from Elisha Whittlesey to George Washington Parke Custis, October 23, 1844, commending Miner Kellogg to him; and correspondence dealing with Kellogg's activities as a promoter of Hiram Powers' statue "The Greek Slave" in the mid-nineteenth century.

Correspondents include: Park Benjamin, Sir Stratford Canning, Luigi P. Cesnola, Lewis G. Clark, Edward Everett, Charles E.A. Gayarré, Henry D. Gilpin, Rufus W. Griswold, Reverdy Johnson, Phillip Kearny, Caroline M. Kirkland, Lenox Library, William C. MacReady, Brinsley Marlay, George P. Marsh, National Academy of Design, Theophilus Parsons, Joel R. Poinsett, Vinnie Ream Hoxie, Samuel H. Russell, Mrs. Winfield Scott, Ellen E. Sherman, John Slidell, Lady Virginia Somers (godmother of Kellogg's daughter Virginia), Bayard Taylor, Osmond Tiffany, Henry T. Tuckerman, W. I. Wall, and R. Wickliffe, Jr.

REEL 986: Scrapbook of clippings, collected by Kellogg from New York, Washington, Baltimore and Ohio newspapers. Some clippings were written by Kellogg, including stories about his own paintings, advertisements for his patent canvas stretcher, reports by him on his travel in foreign countries, and article on Hiram Powers, the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1880), Jane Eyre, Emanuel Swedenborg, the Cleveland Academy of Art, art unions, and fireproof buildings. Also included is a copy of a paper, "Fine arts in the United States" given by Kellogg in 1869 to the American Union Academy, Washington, D.C., and a booklet, "Mr. Miner K. Kellogg to his friends," Paris, 1858, describing his relationship with Powers.

Biographical / Historical:

Portrait painter, miniature painter, and orientalist; New York, N.Y. and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Provenance:

Material on reels D30 and D33 purchased 1956 from an unknown source. Material on reel 986 transfered from Smithsonian Institution Archives, 1974.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm.

Occupation:

Miniature painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Portrait painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Portrait painting -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painting, American  Search this

Sculpture, American  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Identifier:

AAA.kellmine

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96a485de3-c3fe-4250-b30a-7d1bedde3133

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-kellmine

Creator:

Eaton, Charles James Madison, 1808-1893  Search this

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Names:

Kellogg, Miner K. (Miner Kilbourne), 1814-1889  Search this

Lester, C. Edwards (Charles Edwards), 1815-1890  Search this

Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872  Search this

Extent:

21 Items ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1845-1867

Scope and Contents:

Nineteen letters from Hiram Powers in Florence to Eaton, 1845-1867, concerning: the future of the Fine Arts in America; sculpture for the Capitol building; government patronage and politics; his commissions for portrait busts and ideal figures; his biographer, C.E. Lester, whom Powers rejects as "a scroundrel capable of any amount of falsehood"; the London exhibition and the American tour of the sculpture the GREEK SLAVE; European reaction to the outcome of the American Civil War; the art community in Florence; Powers' 1846 trip to Turin and Rome; and his health, family, and personal ambitions. In closing his letters, Powers often sends regards from Miner Kellogg.

Also included is a letter from Eaton to Powers, December 5, 1864, regarding a shipment of modelling clay from Baltimore to Florence, and a letter from Thomas Sully in Philadelphia to Eaton, September 27, 1847. Eaton was disappointed to learn that a painting he had inspected was not a Sully. "I am mortified at your disappointment," Sully wrote, "...had the picture been an original by me, I should have charged double the price."

Biographical / Historical:

Eaton was a founder of the Maryland Historical Society, a trustee of the Peabody Institute, and a collector of art. Eaton probably met Hiram Powers on one of his trips to Florence in the 1840's. They became lifelong friends and Eaton served as an American agent of sorts, promoting Powers' interests in Washington and Baltimore.

Provenance:

Lent for microfilming 1985 by the Maryland Historical Society.

Restrictions:

The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

Occupation:

Portrait painters  Search this

Miniature painters  Search this

Painters  Search this

Art patrons -- Maryland  Search this

Sculptors -- Italy  Search this

Topic:

Art, Modern -- 19th century  Search this

Artists and patrons  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.eatochar

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b019c325-b9c2-4687-a14f-a12cf4fd4d42

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-eatochar

Collection Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 39

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1857-1863

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

See more items in:

Hiram Powers papers

Hiram Powers papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9020072d6-c673-456f-bf4d-5e5bac2ece27

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-powehira-ref100

Collection Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 40

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1868-1869

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

See more items in:

Hiram Powers papers

Hiram Powers papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw996b835fd-4188-483a-a820-d2ef21b22afd

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-powehira-ref101

Collection Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 41

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1865-1866

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

See more items in:

Hiram Powers papers

Hiram Powers papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9003fc922-e967-4089-812d-9caaf8fab11e

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-powehira-ref102

Collection Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 42

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1850-1853

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

See more items in:

Hiram Powers papers

Hiram Powers papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93ca04ae6-b3bf-40a6-a49d-a803107d2320

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-powehira-ref103

Collection Creator:

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 43

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1840-1856

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

See more items in:

Hiram Powers papers

Hiram Powers papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a3a02d7b-2fbf-40fa-bd62-12f393c22332

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-powehira-ref104