Love's Memories
Thomas Ball
American, 1819–1911 n
Details
Title
Love's Memories
Artist/Maker
Thomas Ball (American, 1819–1911 n)
Date
1873
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
30 3/4 x 14 1/2 x 14 3/4 inches
Credit
Gift of the West Foundation in honor of Gudmund Vigtel and Michael E. Shapiro
Accession #
2010.55
Following the death of his father, Thomas Ball left school to support his family. He worked as an errand boy at the New England Museum in Boston, which led to his study and practice of art. Love’s Memories depicts a pensive Cupid seated on an Ionic capital. With his right leg crossed and his hand resting beneath his chin, the Cupid's posture is relaxed but thoughtful. This piece draws on Victorian sentiment and remains in the tradition of Ball’s realistic yet unpretentious sculpture.