Daniel Webster

Thomas Ball

1853 · Bronze · The American Wing

During the course of his long career Ball modeled several portraits of the influential statesman, Daniel Webster (1782-1852). In 1853 the sculptor sold the reproduction rights for this statuette to a Boston art dealer, George Ward Nichols for $500. Nichols alone was responsible for decisions regarding appearance, marketing, and the number of casts. He produced numerous replicas in plaster and Parian ware, in addition to casting more than 200 bronze statuettes at Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Massachusetts. They were offered for sale with variations: with or without drapery over the column or with a “fine” or “ordinary” patina.

Artist

Thomas Ball

Date

1853

Medium

Bronze

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Thomas Kensett, by exchange, 1969