Smithsonian American Art Museum
Clytie
Hiram Powers, born Woodstock, VT 1805-died Florence, Italy 1873 · modeled 1865-1867, carved 1873
Clytie is a water nymph from Greek mythology who fell in love with Apollo and never took her eyes off him as he flew across the sky. Eventually, she became a sunflower, forever turning its face with the course of the sun. Hiram Powers likely based this sculpture on an antique Roman bust in the British Museum that was widely reproduced across Europe. Powers added a sunflower to the figure’s hair to symbolize Clytie’s fate.
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