Skip to main content
Exhibition History“American Fancy: Exuberance in the Arts 1790-1840,” Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, MD, March 12, 2004 – March 20, 2005; Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, July 14, 2004 – October 31, 2004; Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI, April 3, 2004 – June 20, 2004.
“Folk Art and American Modernism,” American Folk Art Museum, New York, NY, July 8, 2015 – October 1, 2015; Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY, September 18, 2014 – December 31, 2014.
“The Folk Art Collection of Elie Nadelman: Making it Modern,” Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, Albuquerque, NM, August 11, 2015 – May 6, 2016; New York Historical Society, New York, NY, May 25, 2016 – August 21, 2016; Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA, September 17, 2016 – December 31, 2016.
Artist
Unidentified Artist
(American)
Related Person
George Washington
(1732 - 1799)
Liberty and Washington
Date1800-1810
DimensionsFramed: 73 × 43 1/2 × 2 in. (185.4 × 110.5 × 5.1 cm)
Sight: 66 1/2 × 35 1/2 in. (168.9 × 90.2 cm)
Object numberN0535.1948
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextDuring the Neoclassical Period (1780-1830), Liberty was often depicted as a Roman goddess and used to symbolize the United States. This rendition of Liberty incorporates many well-known patriotic symbols, including the American flag, Bald Eagle, white pine tree, Liberty pole and cap, laurel wreath of the classical victor, bust of Washington, and Crown of Tyranny upon which Liberty tramples. The object was reportedly used as a windowshade in a Connecticut tavern. It was collected in the 1920's by Elie Nadelman, a modern sculptor who, with his wife, formed one of the earliest and largest folk art collections in the United States.Exhibition History“American Fancy: Exuberance in the Arts 1790-1840,” Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, MD, March 12, 2004 – March 20, 2005; Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, July 14, 2004 – October 31, 2004; Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI, April 3, 2004 – June 20, 2004.
“Folk Art and American Modernism,” American Folk Art Museum, New York, NY, July 8, 2015 – October 1, 2015; Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY, September 18, 2014 – December 31, 2014.
“The Folk Art Collection of Elie Nadelman: Making it Modern,” Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, Albuquerque, NM, August 11, 2015 – May 6, 2016; New York Historical Society, New York, NY, May 25, 2016 – August 21, 2016; Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA, September 17, 2016 – December 31, 2016.
On View
On view
