Infant Flora

Erastus Dow Palmer1857

Details

Title: Infant Flora
Creator: Erastus Dow Palmer (1817-1904)
Creator Lifespan: 1817 - 1904
Creator Gender: Male
Date: 1857
Location: United States
Physical Dimensions: w11 x h17 x d7.75 in (Complete)
Type: Sculpture
Rights: Albany Institute of History & Art Purchase
External Link: http://www.albanyinstitute.org/home.html
Medium: Marble
Sculptor: Erastus Dow Palmer (1817-1904)
Marks: Inscribed under back edge: E. D. PALMER SC. 1857
Additional Comments: Unlike most American neoclassical sculptors, Erastus Dow Palmer never studied in Italy, and his family (rather than the ancient world) often served as models for his work. This charming marble bust of a child, adorned with a jeweled headpiece and a delicately carved garland of spring flowers, is a portrait of his third daughter, Rebecca K. Palmer (1852-1931), at the age of four. It exemplifies Palmer's view that the "mission of the Sculptor's art is not to imitate forms alone, but through them to reveal the purest and best of our nature. Young children were a popular sculptural motif in the Victorian era. By naming it Flora—the Roman goddess of flowers and springtime—Palmer attempted to elevate the work from a simple portrait to a higher realm.

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more