Daniel Webster
From the collection of Smithsonian American Art Museum. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
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’s own description
