Sculpture Collection

HISTORY: From its beginnings, the St. Louis Mercantile Library sought to provide its rooms as a gallery for art as well as for books to its members-the early populace and citizenry of a frontier city. In many ways, the Mercantile was founded by business leaders not only as a general library for all readers, but also as an art museum, one of St. Louis' first and longest lasting, in which such merchants exercised a high degree of taste and knowledge in collecting art for the viewing public. Many special exhibitions were presented by the Library in its earliest days, some to raise funds for various causes. Library leaders, such as James Yeatman and Henry Bacon, were deeply interested in the fine arts, and distinguished connoisseurs and patrons in their time, and these individuals infused the Mercantile with the art-loving spirit. The Mercantile was often the recipient of a gift of art, or of a long-term loan which was never recalled, and almost by default the founders frequently saw to it that paintings of great merit were preserved which otherwise would have been lost to subsequent generations.

SCOPE: The Sculpture Collection spans the years 1830 to 1890, and with but three exceptions, celebrates great men of the nineteenth century.

HOLDINGS: 23 sculptures, all sculpture listed is marble unless otherwise noted:

Beatrice Cenci, by Harriet Hosmer, 1856
Bust of John Napier Dyer, by R. Bringhurst, bronze, 1890
Bust of Thomas Hart Benton, by J. Wilson MacDonald, one of the earliest sculptures made west of the Mississippi, mid-19^th century
Bust of Henry Shaw, by H.S. Kretschmar, 1878
Bust of George Washington, after Houdon, plaster, ca.1859
Bust of James Yeatman, by Robert Portser Bringhurst, 1895
Bust of James Harrison, by J. Wilson MacDonald, ca.1815
The West Wind, by Thomas Gould, ca.1876
Daniel Webster, by Louis Verhaegen, ca.1850
Death Mask of Napoleon Bonaparte, by Francesco Antommarchi, plaster, 1830
Bust of Christopher Columbus, by J. Gott, ca.1855
Bust of Robert Burns, by William Brodie, ca.1865 with ornately carved wooden pedestal depicting images from Burns' life and work
Bust of Sir Walter Scott, by John Hutchison, 1872
Venus de Milo, by M. Geiss, zinc, 1862
Portrait of Dante, by Guiseppe Moretti, 1911
Courtship of Sleepy Hollow, by John Rodgers, plaster, 1868
Rip van Winkle at Home, by John Rodgers, plaster, 1871
Rip van Winkle on the Mountain, by John Rodgers, plaster, 1871
Rip van Winkle Returned, by John Rodgers, plaster, 1871
The Favored Scholar, by John Rodgers, plaster, 1873
Abraham Lincoln from Life, by Leonard W. Volk, plaster, 1862
Mark Twain, by Robert Porter Bringhurst, terra cotta with applied patina, ca. 1910
Abraham and Isaac, by Ruth Keller Schweiss, bronze, ca. 1965

ACCESS: The Art Collection is available for viewing during service hours 7:30 A.M.- 10:30 P.M., Monday-Thursday; 7:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M., Friday; 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M., Saturday; and 1:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M., Sunday, and by appointment.

Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building.

Question about this collections should be referred to:

Julie Dunn-Morton
Curator of Fine Art Collections
314.516.6740

In observance of security procedures, certain services may not be available shortly before the daily closing time.

Direct questions or comments regarding this site to
The Saint Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis

Charles Brown
Reference Services,
St. Louis Subject Specialist
314.516.7243
cbrown@umsl.edu

St. Louis Mercantile Library