Sculpture

Title:

Daniel Webster

Object Name:

Sculpture

Object ID:

1963.054

Creator:

French, Daniel Chester (1850-1931) -- Sculptor; Cresson, Margaret French (1889-1973) -- Sculptor

Date:

1931

Description:

Bust of Daniel Webster, by Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), 1931. Plaster. Half life-size bust of man. Hollow. Head turned almost imperceptibly to subject's left. Back and sides concave below shoulders. Integral rectangular base. Prominent eyebrows. A hollow at center of each eye representing the iris. Wearing shirt with stand collar, bow tie, vest and coat. Front of base decorated with rudimentary bound reeding. Inscribed on reverse of base: "DANIEL C. FRENCH, SC. / 1931." Rough surface on which marks made by modeling tools are visible. Hair used as strengthening element in inner layers of plaster. An uneven coating of sealer. Vertical center line on back.

Material:

Plaster

Dimensions:

H-14 W-11.75 L-6.9 inches

Provenance:

One of the last works of Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), born in Exeter, NH, was a "sketch" for a bust of Daniel Webster. A bronze version was completed by French's daughter, Margaret French Cresson, and placed in 1933 in front of the Congregational Church in Franklin, NH. This is apparently a plaster cast of the rough sketch or model made by D. C. French in 1931.

Donor was the daughter-in-law of Sen. George H. Moses of Concord, NH, who may have been the first owner of the bust.

Credit Line:

Gift of Dorothy C. Moses

People:

Webster, Daniel (1782-1852), French, Daniel Chester (1850-1931), Cresson, Margaret French (1889-1973)

Subjects:

Sculpture, Webster, Daniel