Indian Combat

Description

A spiraling composition with three intertwined figures, Indian Combat ranks as Edmonia Lewis’s most dynamic and complex creation. Although her Native American subjects typically exist in multiple versions, this example appears to be unique. Of Indigenous (Ojibwe) and African American ancestry, Edmonia Lewis studied at Oberlin College and apprenticed with a sculptor in Boston before moving to Rome in 1866. Her sculptures were readily purchased by patrons on both sides of the Atlantic.

Provenance

[Unidentified antique/estate consignment shop, Newton, MA] (1950s); William (1916-2006) and Betty (1926-2010) Bresnick, Weston, MA (1950s-2010); [Gabriel's Auctioneers and Appraisers, Norwood, MA] (2010); [Gerald Peters Gallery, New York] (2010-2011); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2011)

Indian Combat

Edmonia Lewis

1868

Accession Number

2011.110

Medium

marble

Dimensions

Overall: 76.2 x 48.3 x 36.5 cm (30 x 19 x 14 3/8 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

American Painting and Sculpture Sundry Purchase Fund and Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund