Richard Morris Hunt

Richard Morris Hunt 1827–1895

Born Brattleboro, Vermont

Richard Morris Hunt, who trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, was one of the most distinguished architects in late nineteenth-century America. As founder of the American Institute of Architects, he played a critical role in establishing higher standards for training in his profession. Hunt was at the height of his career when he met French sculptor Jean Gautherin in 1886. During that pivotal year Hunt designed a variety of notable buildings around the state of New York. This bust is signed and dated by Gautherin and inscribed “F. Barbedienne,” for Ferdinand Barbedienne, the French metalworker, manufacturer, and established bronze founder.