"The Freedman" by John Quincy Adams Ward (Modeled 1862–63)
Bronze.
Commentary
Commentary
"The Freedman" by John Quincy Adams Ward (Modeled 1862–63) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together.
Because the work is spatial, changes in viewpoint and light can noticeably alter its emotional impact.
Themes to notice include Realism, sculpture.
This piece is held in the source collection's Arts of the Americas collection.
John Quincy Adams Ward is the artist behind this work.
A useful anchor for reading the piece: John Quincy Adams Ward (American, 1830–1910).
The work is cataloged within a United States cultural context.
It is associated with the Realism period.
How to look at this work:
It is cataloged as sculpture, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object.
Its medium (Bronze) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances.
Its listed dimensions (49.9 × 40 × 23.9 cm (19 5/8 × 15 3/4 × 9 3/8 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person.
Subject cues from the catalog include Realism, sculpture.
Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/149776
Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data
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Commentary
Commentary