February is Black History Month in the United States. Today, Google kicked off the month long of celebration by honoring Mary Edmonia Lewis.
Mary Edmonia Lewis (c. July 4, 1844 – September 17, 1907) was an American sculptor who worked
for most of her career in Rome, Italy. She was the first woman of African-American and Native American heritage to achieve international fame and recognition as a sculptor in the fine arts world.
Her work is known for incorporating themes relating to black people and indigenous peoples of the Americas into Neoclassical-style sculpture. She began to gain prominence during the American Civil War; at the end of the 19th century, she remained the only black woman who had participated in and been recognized to any degree by the American artistic mainstream. In 2002, the scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Edmonia Lewis on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.
Born: July 4, 1844, East Greenbush, NY
Died: September 17, 1907, London, United Kingdom
Period: Neoclassicism Known for: Sculpture
Artwork: The Death of Cleopatra, Poor Cupid, More
Education: New-York Central College, McGrawville, Oberlin College
Mary Edmonia Lewis (c. July 4, 1844 – September 17, 1907) was an American sculptor who worked
Her work is known for incorporating themes relating to black people and indigenous peoples of the Americas into Neoclassical-style sculpture. She began to gain prominence during the American Civil War; at the end of the 19th century, she remained the only black woman who had participated in and been recognized to any degree by the American artistic mainstream. In 2002, the scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Edmonia Lewis on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.
Born: July 4, 1844, East Greenbush, NY
Died: September 17, 1907, London, United Kingdom
Period: Neoclassicism Known for: Sculpture
Artwork: The Death of Cleopatra, Poor Cupid, More
Education: New-York Central College, McGrawville, Oberlin College
