S23: John Gorham Palfrey (1796-1881)

Identification and Creation

Object Number

S23

People

William Wetmore Story, American (Salem, MA 1819 - 1895 Valombrosa, Italy)
John Gorham Palfrey (1796-1881)

Title

John Gorham Palfrey (1796-1881)

Classification

Sculpture

Work Type

relief, sculpture

Date

1892

Places

Creation Place: Europe, Italy, Lazio, Rome

Culture

American

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/305336

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Marble

Technique

Relief

Dimensions

88.3 x 71 x 13 cm (34 3/4 x 27 15/16 x 5 1/8 in.)

Inscriptions and Marks

• Signed: lower left: W.W. STORY/ROME 1892
• inscription: Middle of object: PALFREY ORDAINED IN VARIED WALKS TO SHINE/ STATESMAN, HISTORIAN, CRITIC, AND DIVINEBottom of object: JOHN GORHAM PALFREY/BORN IN BOSTON MDCCXCVI/ DIED IN CAMBRIDGE MDCCCLXXXI------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------THERE ARE WHO TRIUMPH IN A LOSING CAUSE,/ WHO CAN PUT ON DEFEAT, AS 'TWERE A WREATH/UNWITHERING IN THE ADVERSE POPULAR BREATH,/SAFE FROM THE BLASTING DEMAGOGUE'S APPLAUSE/TIS THEY WHO STAND FOR FREEDOM AND GOD'S LAWS
• inscription: base, English: in frieze: Palfrey ordained in varied walks to shine/statesman, historian, critic and divine
  below frieze: John Gorham Palfrey/Born in Boston MDCCXCVI/Died in Cambridge MDCCCLXXXI/There are who triumph in a losing cause, who can put on defeat, as 'twere a wreath, safe from the blasting demagogue's applause tis they who stand for freedom and god's laws.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard University Portrait Collection, Gift of the family of John G. Palfrey, 1891

Object Number

S23

Division

European and American Art

Contact

am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu

Permissions

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