Persephone

Hiram Powers (1805–1873)

ca. 1849

Marble

Sewell C. Biggs bequest; 2004.495

Painting styles and approaches changed dramatically over the 1700s and 1800s in America and Europe. However, sculpture remained steadily more conservative, depicting either classical subjects or idealized portraits, often in classical costume. According to Greek mythology, Persephone is a daughter of Zeus and the queen of the underworld.