A detailed account of the life and career of Hiram Powers (1805-73), the first American-born sculptor to win international fame. Drawing mainly on his correspondence, volume one focuses on the artist's life; and volume two consists of a catalogue of his work and contains more than 225 illustrations. Corrects numerous errors of fact that have been perpetuated about Powers.

A detailed account of the life and career of Hiram Powers (1805-73), the first American-born sculptor to win international fame. Drawing mainly on his correspondence, volume one focuses on the artist's life; and volume two consists of a catalogue of his work and contains more than 225 illustrations. Corrects numerous errors of fact that have been perpetuated about Powers.

Volume One: This volume catalogues the distinguished and comprehensive collection of approximately 400 works of American sculpture by artists born before 1865. This publication includes an introduction on the history of the collection's formation, particularly in the context of the Museum's early years of acquisitions, and discusses the outstanding personalities involved. --Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

"This catalogue accompanies an exhibition of the same name that will open at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in November 2024. Through offerings from ten scholars focusing on a selection of some eighty sculptures made between 1793 and 2023 in a wide range of media, The Shape of Power is a portal into nuanced and complex ideas about the enduring power of sculpture as a potent tool in the making and unmaking of race in the United States"--

Political Animals offers a unique study and perspective on the relationship between politics and the art found in American zoos and aquariums. Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the ways that zoos and aquariums have successfully served as sculptural gardens for the masses and have incorporated art and architecture that convey political messages about both the patrons and the animals. This book demonstrates how art has been used for a range of economic and political purposes including providing jobs, a medium to reach out to minority interest groups, a fundraising tool, and a surrogate for the animals themselves. Donahue and Trump skillfully analyze and compare zoos to other areas of public art to highlight the calculated strategies on the part of the zoos that have incorporated a range of artistic styles for different audiences. Incorporating photographs of zoo and aquarium art from around the country, Political Animals is an exciting and captivating text for the mind and eye.