Cast of the Right Hand and Wrist of Hiram Powers

Hiram Powers, born Woodstock, VT 1805-died Florence, Italy 1873 · ca. 1855

This cast of the artist’s right hand was probably made around 1855 and was a study for a statue of the statesman Daniel Webster. The hand needed to be shown holding a piece of paper, so Powers made a cast of his own hand in the appropriate position as an aid in composing the finished sculpture.