Until recently, the 19th century sculptor Edmonia Lewis, was another largely unknown talent, despite her enormous successes. I discovered her through a webinar presented by Smithsonian Associates and her story and work deserve a closer look.
Against the Odds
Born in upstate New York in 1844 to a Native American woman of the Ojibwe tribe and a Black man, Mary Edmonia Lewis was just a young girl when she lost both parents. She spent her childhood on a reservation with her mother’s relatives, later enrolling in Oberlin College in Ohio with financial support from her older brother. Although Oberlin was the first U.S. college to admit women, including women of color and was considered a “progressive” institution, it nevertheless offered women only “acceptable” career paths found in the domestic arts or teaching. Lewis’ time at Oberlin unfortunately was marred by accusations against her of theft and the poisoning of some classmates. Brought to trial and ultimately acquitted, Lewis eventually left Oberlin without a degree. She settled in Boston to pursue a career in sculpting.
The Journey Begins
While professional recognition eluded many women artists, those who were painters were more readily accepted. In contrast, sculpture was regarded as too dirty, not dainty enough, and requiring the strength beyond what women were said to possess. The profession was essentially closed to women of color. However, upon introduction to Lewis, the sculptor Edward Brackett agreed to train her and provided her studio space. In 1864, Lewis created her first celebrated work, a medallion of the abolitionist John Brown, followed by a well-received bust of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, a Union Army officer during the U.S. Civil War. Shaw commanded the famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry, one of the first all-Black regiments.
Forward Movement in Rome
In 1865, Lewis left for Europe. When she landed in Rome, her reputation and skills grew exponentially. Prominent human rights figures, Native American culture, and biblical stories inspired many of her sculptures. One of her most famous pieces is a bust is of Abraham Lincoln (c. 1871).
Living in Rome, Lewis had availability to excellent quality marble and access to the Vatican Collection, where she could study and copy the art housed there. While in Italy, Lewis joined a group of expatriate American women sculptors, all working in the Neoclassical style, then popular in both Europe and the U.S. The writer Henry James derisively referred to this group of women as the “White Marmorean Flock” (white referring to the marble they worked with; flock, his disparaging term for women sculptors).
The Road to Recognition
Lewis created many works of Neoclassical subjects featuring idealized beauty (the faces and figures associated with ancient Greek and Roman classical art), and sculptures depicting cupids and religious figures. A significant work, Forever Free (1867), represents liberation as marked by the emancipation of enslaved Blacks following the U.S. Civil War. Lewis sculpted Native American figures, including one series from 1866 through 1876 featuring Hiawatha, a legendary Iroquois leader, and The Death of Cleopatra (1876). Previously “lost,” the Cleopatra sculpture was rediscovered in 1988, and after conservation work, now resides at the Smithsonian, together with six other works by Lewis.
Legacy
Though her life and career knew struggle, in her day Lewis was an extremely prominent artist, welcoming numerous influential visitors to her Rome studio. Despite racial and gender-based discrimination, Lewis was the first Black sculptor to achieve international fame. In 1907, at age 63, she died in London. On Jan 25, 2022, the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp in recognition of Lewis’ groundbreaking achievements. Also in 2022, Oberlin College finally awarded Lewis her posthumous diploma.