Puck

One of the nineteenth century's most accomplished female artists, Harriet Hosmer gained a reputation not only as a talented sculptor but also as a pioneering advocate of women's rights. Her Puck, a cherubic depiction of the mischievous character from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, was one of her most popular sculptures and exists in many versions. It contrasts with her monumental sculptures of heroines from literature, classical mythology, and history, such as Zenobia in Chains. Both Puck and Zenobia in Chains, however, demonstrate Hosmer's command of the marble medium and love of detail, such as the mushrooms supporting Puck and the delicate structure of his wings.