Unidentified
Uncle Sam Recruiting Figure
May one see it?
Unknown: the museum keeps its counsel
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Washington, D.C., United States
The owner is known. Whether it is on view today, the museum does not say, and we were not trained to guess.
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the sculpture
This carved Uncle Sam is a “serving statue,” made to carry a tray of food or drinks. The character of Uncle Sam dates from the War of 1812 and was based on “uncle” Samuel Wilson, of Troy, New York, whose firm provided the army with meat during the war. When residents of Troy saw the “U.S.” on the barrels, they thought of Uncle Sam, and his name soon became associated with national pride. An unknown artist created this statue during World War I, probably inspired by the famous 1917 “I Want You” recruiting poster.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- 1986.65.337
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Smithsonian American Art Museum — CC0