Sculptor. Born in Boston, Greenough showed his interest in art at a young age and was informally trained by acquaintances. After graduating from Phillips Academy, he went to Harvard, where he was mentored by painter Washington Allston before graduating in 1821. Greenough was especially interested in antiquity and traveled to Rome, Florence, and other parts of Europe. His works include busts or statues of James Fenimore Cooper, the Marquis de Lafayette, and John Quincy Adams. Today, he is generally considered the first American sculptor to achieve international fame. He earned two substantial government commissions, including "The Rescue" (1837-1851), which adorned the Capitol building in Washington until 1958, and a larger-than-life sculpture of George Washington (1832-1841), depicting the first President seated and wearing a toga, now at the Smithsonian. Today, his sculptures are found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Smithsonian, among others.
Sculptor. Born in Boston, Greenough showed his interest in art at a young age and was informally trained by acquaintances. After graduating from Phillips Academy, he went to Harvard, where he was mentored by painter Washington Allston before graduating in 1821. Greenough was especially interested in antiquity and traveled to Rome, Florence, and other parts of Europe. His works include busts or statues of James Fenimore Cooper, the Marquis de Lafayette, and John Quincy Adams. Today, he is generally considered the first American sculptor to achieve international fame. He earned two substantial government commissions, including "The Rescue" (1837-1851), which adorned the Capitol building in Washington until 1958, and a larger-than-life sculpture of George Washington (1832-1841), depicting the first President seated and wearing a toga, now at the Smithsonian. Today, his sculptures are found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Smithsonian, among others.
Bio by: Midnightdreary
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