Smithsonian American Art Museum
Hero
William Henry Rinehart, born Union Bridge, MD 1825-died Rome, Italy 1874 · modeled 1866
William Henry Rinehart first conceived of this figure in 1858, when he began work on her companion piece Leander. Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Every evening, her lover, Leander, swam across the straits to be with her, guided by a lantern she held aloft. One night, a storm blew out her lamp and Leander drowned. In her anguish, Hero jumped into the sea to join him. Rinehart depicted the moment when Hero realizes that Leander is dead.
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