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