Hannah Rohr Tuffs

Augustus Saint-Gaudens

1872 · Shell · The American Wing

During Saint-Gaudens’s years as a cameo cutter’s apprentice, he helped his employer meet the demand for carved shell broaches, bracelets, and other wearable keepsakes. His portrait of New York attorney John Tuffs (1990.78.1a,b) is believed to be his earliest surviving work. More than ten years after ordering the portrait of her husband, Hannah Rohr Tuffs (1829-1905) commissioned her pendant cameo when visiting Rome with her sister. By this time Saint-Gaudens established as a professional sculptor, cutting cameos for additional income. He expertly rendered her features in sharp profile. Her attire reflects a prim simplicity, but the elaborate hairstyle imparts an elegant touch. The pair is housed in original velvet-lined leather cases.

Artist

Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Date

1872

Medium

Shell

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Purchase, Sheila W. and Richard J. Schwartz Gift and Morris K. Jesup Fund, 1990