Sleeping Faun

myminifactory

Harriet Hosmer's The Sleeping Faun earned widespread critical acclaim when it was showcased at the 1865 Dublin Exhibition, receiving high praise from art critics. This masterfully crafted group is heavily influenced by Neoclassical precedents and clearly shows the impact of Hosmer's teacher John Gibson (1790-1866). Jan Seidler Ramirez described the version in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (inv. no. 12.709) as a beautiful, perfectly proportioned adolescent with pointed ears that hint at his mythological origins; he noted that compositional skill and carving expertise are evident throughout The Sleeping Faun. Hosmer's elegant control of lines expertly guides the viewer's eye through the composition, beginning with the faun's extended limb and rising up the gentle curve of the torso before pausing at the face and descending to the figure's limp arm. The satyr nestled against the tree stump completes the design, adding contrast and balance to the piece. Besides the version in the MFA, similar versions are found in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool and the Cleveland Museum of Art (inv. no. 1997.15). Harriet Hosmer was a remarkable sculptor who challenged traditional notions of femininity in the 19th century. She lived an unconventional lifestyle considered bohemian at the time. Born in Watertown, Massachusetts, Hosmer knew she wanted to become a sculptor by age 19 and boldly defied convention by attending the all-male Washington University Medical School in St. Louis to study anatomy. In 1852, she left for Rome to study with John Gibson, where she developed close friendships within the Anglo-American community, including the Brownings and Nathaniel Hawthorne.