Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra

1852·Marble·86.4 × 57.2 × 31.8 cm (34 × 22 1/2 × 12 1/2 in.)

<p>Zenobia was queen of the Syrian city of Palmyra and ruled it after her husband’s death in the third century. Harriet Hosmer portrayed Zenobia at the moment of her capture and defeat by the Roman emperor Aurelian in 272 CE. Rather than depict a scene of heightened drama, the sculp-tor opted for a quieter sense of grandeur, remarking, “I have tried to make her too proud to exhibit passion or emotion of any kind; not subdued, though a prisoner; but calm, grand, and strong within herself.”</p> <p>Hosmer was the leader of a group of women sculptors in Rome beginning in the 1850s. Many of her works feature strong, independent women drawn from history or literature.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 1852
Medium: Marble
Dimensions: 86.4 × 57.2 × 31.8 cm (34 × 22 1/2 × 12 1/2 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: Harriet Hosmer

Artist

Harriet Hosmer

Sculpture

Harriet Goodhue Hosmer was a neoclassical sculptor, considered the most distinguished female sculptor in America during the 19th century. She is known as the first female professional sculptor. Among other technical innovations, she pioneered a process for turning limestone into marble. Hosmer once lived in an expatriate colony in Rome, befriending many prominent writers and artists.

Rome

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