Phillis Wheatley

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Waist-length bust of Phillis Wheatley, a mid -18th century poet. This bronze bust depicts Wheatley posed gazing straight ahead, with her left arm drawn close to her body, hand propped up under her chin, knuckles of her left hand just touching her chin. Her left hand forefinger is extended along her left cheek; the other fingers are curled in to a fist. Her right arm is wrapped around her front and the right hand cups her left elbow. The figure is wearing a shirt with a rounded neckline and sleeves to the elbow. The cloth is indicated on the sculpture by a rough, striated texture. The figure is also wearing a rounded cap or turban on her head. A small amount of hair is visible as stippling at the figure's temples, and her earlobes peek out from under the cap.

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