Edmonia Lewis
No Portrait Available
Edmonia Lewis (c. 1844-1907) was the first professional African American and Native American sculptor, producing neoclassical marble works that addressed race, freedom, and identity in the Civil War era. Born Mary Edmonia Lewis in upstate New York to a Chippewa mother and African American father, she attended Oberlin College before moving to Boston and then to Rome in 1866.
In Rome, Lewis carved The Death of Cleopatra (1876), a startlingly realistic marble exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Her Forever Free (1867) depicts two formerly enslaved people at the moment of emancipation. Lewis carved her own marble, unusual at a time when most sculptors hired Italian craftsmen. The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds several of her key works.
Sculptures by Edmonia Lewis
1 sculpture catalogued with museum locations. Browse all sculptures
Museums with Edmonia Lewis's Work
1 museum displays Lewis's works. Click any museum to see visiting info and the specific works they hold.
About Edmonia Lewis
Lewis was the first professional African American and Native American sculptor. Working in Rome during the 1860s-80s, she carved neoclassical marbles addressing slavery, emancipation, and Indigenous identity at a time when few women of color had access to the art world.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. holds The Death of Cleopatra and other key works. Forever Free is at the Howard University Gallery of Art.
Love Edmonia Lewis's Style?
Explore art inspired by their style.
Browse Collection