Clark Mills
Daniel Webster
May one see it?
Yes, receiving visitors
Smithsonian American Art Museum
RoomLuce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, 20BWashington, 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
The strange language that you see in the quote above refers to the fashion during the nineteenth century for phrenology, in which the shape of a person’s skull was thought to reveal his or her character. Daniel Webster won fame as a lawyer during the 1820s and was venerated as one of the greatest public speakers of his time. He was a Massachusetts senator and a fierce supporter of the Union during the states’ rights controversy. Clark Mills created this life mask in 1847, when the politician was fifty-five years old. The stately pose and thoughtful expression of the figure reflect how he might have looked during an intense debate or public address.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- XX16
What it shows
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Smithsonian American Art Museum — CC0