Hiram PowersAmerican, 1805–1873Edmund Pendleton Gaines
May one see it?
Yes, receiving visitors
Smithsonian American Art Museum
RoomLuce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, 17BWashington, D.C., United States
On public display.
- Checked
- 7 days ago
- In this state since
- Sep 25, 2026
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the sculpture
After the War of 1812, General Edmund Pendleton Gaines was promoted to major general and received a gold medal for his service. During the Mexican War, he was court-martialed for failing to obey orders, but the charges were dropped after he defended his patriotism. This bust was modeled at the request of General Memucan Hunt, a soldier and politician who also sat for Hiram Powers. After the sculpture was completed, Powers described how General Gaines “brought a bevy of ladies . . . to look at his bust . . . and did everything but gobble while they praised it.”
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- 1968.155.14
What it shows
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Smithsonian American Art Museum — CC0
