Sir William Blackstone

1923

Paul Wayland Bartlett

Associated Names
Paul Wayland Bartlett

Sculptor, American, 1865 - 1925

The sculpture features a man in historical attire resembling a judicial or legal figure. He is depicted standing upright, holding a book under one arm with his other hand visible over the book. His outfit includes a wig with long, curly hair and a cloak or robe draped over his shoulders and down his body. The sculpture is made of dark bronzed material with a brown finish and hints of lighter patina in recessed areas, highlighting intricate details like wig curls and fabric folds. The figure stands on a rectangular base, leaning slightly forward, suggesting a closer look at its detailed design. The overall impression is one of dignity and formal authority due to the historical fashion of the attire.

Media Options

Skip thumbnail navigation
Back to thumbnail navigation
This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The artist's widow, Suzanne Bartlett [1861-1954], Washington;[1] by inheritance to her daughter by her first husband, Mrs. Armistead Peter III [1894-1965, née Caroline Ogden-Jones], Washington; gift 1958 to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art.
[1] Born Suzanne Frisby Earle, Mrs. Bartlett was married three times, in 1890 to Mahlon Ogden-Jones (1849-1900), in 1903 to Samuel Franklin Emmons (1841-1911), and lastly, in 1913 to the sculptor, whose studio she continued to operate after his death in 1925.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1968

  • The Justice and the Palette, Carroll Reece Museum, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, 10 March - 28 April 1968, no. 40, repro.

Inscriptions

P.W.B. s.B 1923

Wikidata ID

Q63864320

You may be interested in

Loading Results