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The Puritan, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Modeled 1883–86, cast after 1899
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, portraitAugustus Saint-GaudensAmerican, 1848–1907

The Puritan

Modeled 1883–86, cast after 1899 · Sculpture

Can I see it?

Yes, on view now

Where is “The Puritan” now? Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 161, Chicago. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.

Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Room161

Closed· opens at 11:00 AM

On public display.

Checked
In this state since
Source
The museum
On the mapMuseum page

About the sculpture

Striding purposefully forward with a knotty walking stick and a hefty Bible, this figure of a Puritan embodies perseverance, resilience, and stern morality—qualities expressed with both admiration and a degree of humor. Augustus Saint-Gaudens first created this portrayal of Deacon Samuel Chapin, a 17th-century leader in Springfield, Massachusetts, as a large-scale monument. The work was unveiled on Thanksgiving Day 1887, underlining the importance of settler origin stories for some members of the local community. Smaller reproductions like this one proved immensely popular at the turn of the 20th century, demonstrating the expansive and enduring reach of such mythmaking.

Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0

Details

Accession number
2007.390

What it shows

PeoplePortrait

In the catalog

SculptureBronzeImpressionism19th centuryRealismUnited States

Sources

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