The Children of Prescott Hall Butler

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, *The Children of Prescott Hall Butler* (1880–81; carved 1906–7) is a captivating marble relief by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's foremost sculptors of the Gilded Age. This intimate portrait depicts the young sons of Prescott Hall Butler, a prominent New York figure, capturing their playful innocence and brotherly bond with remarkable tenderness. Saint-Gaudens, celebrated for his realistic monuments like the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, modeled the work in the early 1880s before it was meticulously carved in marble two decades later, showcasing his mastery of the medium's luminous, classical qualities. Measuring 24½ x 36 inches and weighing 161 pounds, the bas-relief exemplifies Saint-Gaudens' Beaux-Arts influence, blending European sculptural traditions with American vitality. The subtle play of light across the children's features and drapery highlights his innovative low-relief technique, which brought unprecedented depth and lifelike expression to portraiture. Gifted to the Met in 1905 by financier Jacob H. Schiff, it reflects the era's elite patronage of the arts. This piece offers a window into late 19th-century family life, immortalizing youthful joy amid industrial America's grandeur—a timeless reminder of sculpture's power to preserve personal stories.

About the Artist

Augustus Saint-Gaudens · 1848–1907

Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907) was an Irish-born American sculptor widely regarded as the greatest American sculptor of the nineteenth century. Born in Dublin to a French father and Irish mother, he was brought to New York City as an infant. He trained as a cameo cutter, studied at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design, and then traveled to Paris, where he studied at the École de...