Hiram Powers
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Hiram Powers (1805-1873) was the most famous American sculptor of the mid-19th century. Born on a Vermont farm, he grew up in Ohio and got his start making wax figures for a Cincinnati museum before training as a sculptor. In 1837 he moved to Florence, Italy, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life.
His Greek Slave (1843) became the most famous sculpture of the 19th century. The life-sized nude depicted a Greek woman in chains, a commentary on the Ottoman slave trade that also resonated with American abolitionists. Powers produced six full-scale versions, and the work toured the United States to enormous crowds. Our collection includes 3 works at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Sculptures by Hiram Powers
3 sculptures catalogued with museum locations. Browse all sculptures
Museums with Hiram Powers's Work
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About Hiram Powers
The Greek Slave (1843) was the most famous sculpture of the 19th century. The marble figure of a chained woman toured America to massive crowds and became a symbol for abolitionists opposing slavery.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Yale University Art Gallery hold major works. Six versions of The Greek Slave exist in various collections.
Powers moved to Florence in 1837 to be near the finest marble quarries and the classical sculpture tradition. Like many 19th-century American sculptors, he found better training, materials, and artistic community in Italy than back home.
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