Horatio Stone was born in Jackson, NY on December 25th, 1808. At his father's insistence that he give up his interest in whittling and concentrate on chores, young Stone decided to leave his rural home and the life of a farmer. Supporting himself through odd jobs Stone managed to acquire medical training eventually setting up his own practice in New York. Around 1848, however, he abruptly left his medical practice and relocated to Washington D.C. to pursue a professional career as a sculptor. Stone's busts and figures of political figures include Alexander Hamilton (c. 1868), John Hancock (commissioned 1858) and Edward Dickinson Baker (c. 1873). Aside from prominent political figures, Stone sculpted a number of ideal allegorical works including Corinne at Rome, Beatrice Unveiling to Dante, Faith, and Uncle Sam.
Horatio Stone's sculptures were influenced by the early American fascination with the Roman Empire and its rich artistic culture. The bust in question portrays the biblical figure Moses, characterized by a long beard—a symbol commonly associated with wisdom in ancient Rome. What sets this sculpture apart from other depictions of Moses is that it doesn't rely on biblical stories or symbolism to identify the subject, but rather the sculpture directly names Moses, which is engraved on the front of the bust. The absence of a pupil in the eye alludes as well to the sculptor's knowledge of roman aesthetics.
Horatio Stone was an accomplished sculptor known for works such as the Alexander Hamilton statue housed in the Rotunda at the National Statuary Hall and playing a significant role in establishing the Washington Art Association in 1857. Stone belongs to an esteemed and highly skilled group of early American marble carvers. The lack of recognition for his work in the market only underscores the potential for great discoveries still to be made in the sculpture industry, as exemplified by pieces like this.
Skinner Inc., Boston, 2014
Doyle, New York 2018
