| The Greek Slave | |
|---|---|
 At Yale University Art Gallery | |
| 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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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]
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]
- ^ "The Greek Slave". Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ a b "The Greek Slave". The Corcoran. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
SAAM-plasterwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Taft, Lorado (1903). The History of American Sculpture. Harvard University: Macmillan. p. 61.
- ^ "The Greek Slave". American Paintings and Sculpture. Yale University Art Gallery. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "Hiram Powers' 'The Greek Slave'". Assumption College. Retrieved November 20, 2006.