Will o' the Wisp

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Object Details

Artist

Harriet Hosmer, born Watertown, MA 1830-died Watertown, MA 1908

Luce Center Label

Harriet Hosmer created Will o’ the Wisp as a companion piece to the highly successful statue of Puck, the bawdy clown from Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Will o’ the Wisp is based on the folktale of a fairy who turns into a phosphorescent glow, covering the marshes at night to mislead travelers. The pointed ears and horns allude to his mischievous character, and his bat wings and the owl atop his head refer to his nocturnal nature. The torch cradled in his right arm symbolizes his ability to assume a glowing form. Despite its appeal, Will o’ the Wisp---nicknamed “my daughter” by the artist---was not as popular as Puck.

Credit Line

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase

Date

modeled 1858

Object number

1987.3

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Sculpture

Medium

marble

Dimensions

32 1/2 x 16 3/4 x 17 in. (82.5 x 42.5 x 43.2 cm.)

See more items in

Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Department

Painting and Sculpture

Data Source

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Topic

Animal\bird

Fantasy\winged being

Animal\reptile\turtle

Object\other\torch

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk7c1fbabf8-0b90-4d98-8291-f7780546deb4

Record ID

saam_1987.3