Object Details
Artist
Joseph Mozier, born Burlington, VT 1812-died Faido, Switzerland 1870
Luce Center Label
Joseph Moziers sculpture is based on the allegorical figure of Melancholy from John Milton's 1632 poem Il Penseroso. Milton's central character, the Thinker, embodies both the black melancholy that afflicts its victims with depression and the golden melancholy that inspires poets. Melancholy is both male and female, dark and light. Mozier's mentor, the American sculptor Hiram Powers, had changed the allegorical figures gender for a statue titled La Penserosa, and the younger man modeled his work after Powers's version. Research has not determined why he gave this work the male title. Mozier's figure wears classical robes symbolizing the brighter muse of melancholy, whose gifts inspired the poets of Greece and Rome. She keeps her wonted state, gazing to the skies rather than looking to the corrupt earth with leaden downward cast.
Luce Object Quote
Come, pensive Nun, devout and pure,
Sober, steadfast, and demure,
All in a robe of darkest grain,
Flowing with majestic train,
And sable stole of cypress lawn,
Over thy decent shoulders drawn:
Come, but keep thy wonted state,
With even step, and musing gait,
And looks commencing with the skies,
Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes:
There held in holy passion still,
Forget thyself to marble, till
With a sad leaden downward cast
Thou fix them on the earth as fast.
From John Milton's Il Penseroso (1632)
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Capitol
Date
1866
Object number
XX75
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Sculpture
Medium
marble
Dimensions
68 31/4 x 21 1/4 x 22 1/4 in. (173.4 x 54.0 x 56.5 cm)
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Painting and Sculpture
On View
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, W310
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Topic
State of being\mood\meditation
Dress\historic\classical dress
Figure female\full length
Literature\Milton\Penserosoo
Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_XX75