The Greek Slave
Marble sculpture by Hiram Powers / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Greek Slave is a marble sculpture by the American sculptor Hiram Powers. It was one of the best-known and critically acclaimed American artworks of the nineteenth century,[1] and is among the most popular American sculptures ever.[2] It was the first publicly exhibited, life-size, American sculpture depicting a fully nude female figure. Powers originally modeled the work in clay, in Florence, Italy, completing it on March 12, 1843.[3][4] The first marble version (prime version) of the sculpture was completed by Powers' studio in 1844 and is now in Raby Castle, England.[2]
The Greek Slave | |
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Artist | Hiram Powers |
Year | model completed 1843; marbles 1844–1860s |
Type | marble sculpture |
Dimensions | 165.7 cm × 53.3 cm × 46.4 cm (65.2 in × 21.0 in × 18.3 in) |
Weight | c. 236 kilograms (520 lb) |
Location |
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Five more full-sized versions of the statue in marble were mechanically reproduced for private patrons, based on Powers' original model, along with numerous smaller-scale versions. Copies of the statue were displayed in a number of venues around Great Britain and the United States; it quickly became one of Powers' most famous works, and held symbolic meaning for some American abolitionists, inspiring an outpouring of prose and poetry.[5] The position of the figure is said to have been inspired by the Venus de' Medici in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.[6]