Emancipation (Maquette for Spirit of Emancipation)

1913

Plaster

7 x 3 x 3.5 in.

2006.311

Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University Fuller Gallery 204 (Large Pedestal, )

Maquette

Three figures standing against what looks like a tree that has a large hand at the top grasping each of their heads. Figures are very roughly sculpted. One is male and the other female. The third figure is female (Humanity) and has her arm on the shoulder of the male. Overall sculpture is abstract.

Exhibition History: In Danforth's "Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller" exhibition, summer 2012. Danforth's "Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller Special Collection Re-installation", March 2016 Collection was gifted to the Danforth in 2006. Unfortunately they sat uncatalogued for close to 10 years. It took until an IMLS grant awarded in 2015 through 2016 for this collection to be catalogued and put into the collections database. - Rachel 2021 Was originally called Humanity Freeing the Slave - at some point Meta changed it. Meta made this for NY State's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Celebration was held October 22-31st at NY Twelfth Regiment Armonry. Meta agreed to a low pay of $200 as had not been sculpting for serveral years. The 8 foot tall plaster statue was housed in an Egyptian Temple recreation by Nicholas Brown, in the center of the temple. Came to us from Pat West. Emancipation was completed on time, figures slightly heroic in size - Behind them is a third figure, that of Humanity, who hides her face, at the thought of what the pair must meet, but who wisely urges them on now that she has loosened them from the greedy grasp of the restraining hand that represents the bondage of the race, first in slavery, then in ignorance. Empty-handed and scantily clothed, the two figures of the boy and girl are stepping out buoyantly to meet whatever the future of freedom may hold. A 1914 article on a Fuller home tour notes a model being 24" high with finished group 8' high and on either end of the chimney piece are masks, full size, of the two figures in the group, showing them rather larger than life-sized. So there are 5 different components that all relate to Spirit of Emancipation. Full sized plaster and bronze owned by the Museum of African American History at Boston and Nantucket. 24" model and busts unknown.

Gift of the Meta V. W. Fuller Trust Part of the Estate of Meta V. W. Fuller from 1968-2001. In the collection of the Meta V. W. Fuller Trust, 2001-2006

Gift of the Meta V. W. Fuller Trust