Andrew Jackson

Hiram Powers American

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 760

When Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) sat for Powers at the White House, he requested that the sculptor not idealize his aging facial features: "Make me as I am. . . . It’s the only safe rule to follow." This highly realistic portrait of a president with a controversial legacy reflects both of Jackson’s sobriquets: King Andrew, for his imperial style of governing, specifically his exploitation of Native American peoples, and Old Hickory, for his unbending strength and determination in the name of a populist political agenda. The bust was carved in marble in Florence, Italy, where Powers had settled permanently in 1837.

#4339. Andrew Jackson

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Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American

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Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American
Andrew Jackson, Hiram Powers (American, Woodstock, Vermont 1805–1873 Florence), Marble, American

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