Museum Collections
Luce Center
Henry Clay (1777-1852)
Object Number:
1946.347
Date:
Mid-19th century
Medium:
Painted plaster
Dimensions:
Overall: 11 x 7 x 8 3/4 in. ( 27.9 x 17.8 x 22.2 cm )
Marks:
paper label: "Henry Clay 3 - 77"
Description:
Portrait head.
Gallery Label:
This cast was part of the Phrenological Museum of Fowler & Wells, which opened in New York City in 1842. Brothers Orson Squire Fowler (1809-1887) and Lorenzo Niles Fowler (1811-1896) and their business associate Samuel Roberts Wells (1820-1875) were noted phrenologists who read heads to understand the subject's "temperament." Their Phrenological Cabinet displaying casts, skulls, and charts became a popular fixture in the city.
Credit Line:
Purchase, General Fund
Provenance:
The Fowler Mask Collection
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.