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Nathan Hale (1755 - 1776)
189028 3/8 x 9 1/2 x 5 13/16 in. (72.1 x 24.1 x 14.8 cm)
Frederick W. MacMonnies
United States (Brooklyn, NY, 1863 - 1937, New York, NY)
Object Type:
Sculpture
Medium and Support:
Bronze
Credit Line:
Marion Stratton Gould Fund
Accession Number:
1986.4
Location: Not currently on view
In the final decades of the nineteenth century, representations of the American Revolution and its heroes were romanticized. Here, Frederick MacMonnies depicts doomed patriot Nathan Hale (1755 – 1776) moments before his execution by the British as punishment for spying. Hale’s ruffled shirt hangs dramatically open, framing and exposing his bare chest and neck, soon to hold the hangman’s noose. With his arms tied back at the elbow, Hale’s hands are left free to gesture as he uttered his famous last words, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
[Gallery label text, 2010]
[Gallery label text, 2010]
Marks
Artist's signature, right side of base: F MacMonnies 1890 Foundry mark, top of base, on left: JA BOEUF 7 ROUARD
FONDEURS A PARIS/R. DE L'ASILE POPINCOURT
Provenance
Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1938; Private Collection; Graham Gallery, New York; purchased by the Gallery in 1986
Keywords
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Additional Images
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Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions:
- American Sculpture from the Permanent Collection 8/14/1995 - 2/15/1996
Bibliography
This object has the following bibliographic references:
- Article Scope: Reproduction only. Susan Dodge Peters, ed. Memorial Art Gallery: An Introduction to the Collection. New York, New York: Memorial Art Gallery in association with Hudson Hills Press, 1988.
- Article Author: Holcomb, Grant. Article Title: Gallery Acquires MacMonnies Sculpture. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Memorial Art Gallery. Gallery Notes. Rochester, New York: Memorial Art Gallery, 1935-1995. Issue Date: March 1986.
- Article Author: Cummings, Hildegarde Z.. Article Title: Cast As Hero: Frederick MacMonnies's Nathan Hale. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Porticus. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery Volume Number: XVII-XIX Issue Date: 1994-1996. Page Number: 27-31, Figure Number: 1
- Michael Richman. Daniel Chester French: An American Sculptor. New York, NY: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1976.
- Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Mary Smart. A Flight with Fame: The Life and Art of Frederick MacMonnies, 1863-1937. Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1996.
- Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Judith A. Barter. American Arts at The Art Institute of Chicago: From Colonial Times to World War I. Chicago, IL: Art Institute of Chicago, 1998.
- Article Scope: Mention. Elizabeth Brayer. Magnum Opus: The Story of the Memorial Art Gallery, 1913-1988. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 1988.
- Memorial Art Gallery. ARTiculate. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 2000--.
- Article Author: Clarke, Christopher. Article Title: Frederick MacMonnies: Nathan Hale. Article Scope: Chapter and reproduction. Marjorie B. Searl, ed. Seeing America: painting and sculpture from the collection of the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 2006. Page Number: 105-108
Portfolio List
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Web Links
See links to web pages and lesson plans
Seeing America Inservice
Materials from a teacher in-service presentation Spring 2008
Seeing America
Chapter on Frederick W. MacMonnies' Nathan Hale, written by Christopher Clarke.