Sculpture Collection August 13, 2009

Sculpture has been an intrinsic part of the academy since its founding in 1805. William Rush, one of the three artists connected with the formation of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, was also one of the nation's first sculptors, representative of the American craft tradition aspiring to European fine arts. The academy holds several notable works by Rush, including a masterful self-portrait. With more than 300 works ranging from 1780 to the present, the academy's sculpture collection is particularly notable for its portrait busts, neoclassical marble sculpture, French-inspired bronze figures, direct carvings in stone and wood and the overall variety of materials and techniques represented.