Hiram Powers (American, 1805–1873)
Mr. Potter Palmer
INV-1205
Hiram Powers (American, 1805–1873)1871
Mr. Potter Palmer
Hiram Powers (American, 1805–1873) →sculptureamerican arts
Date
1871
Medium
Carrera marble
Dimensions
72.4 × 44 × 29.4 cm (28 1/2 × 17 5/16 × 11 5/8 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Gordon and Janis Palmer
Chicago businessman Potter Palmer and his wife Bertha commissioned a pair of portraits in 1871 from Hiram Powers, an American sculptor living in Florence (see Mrs. Potter Palmer). Executed in marble, with folded draperies and restrained features, the busts exemplify the classicizing style that Powers honed in Italy—and some Americans found so appealing—in the mid-19th century. They are among the first works of art purchased by the couple, who soon became major art collectors and philanthropists. Bertha Honoré Palmer, in particular, was a discerning collector, responsible for bringing some of the first works by French Impressionists to Chicago. An important cultural leader, she organized the displays and programming for the Woman’s Building at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in the city.
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