


Evelyn Beatrice Longman (American, 1874–1954)
Bronze
26 1/2 x 8 1/4 x 7 1/4 in. (67.3 x 21 x 18.4 cm)
Gift of Edward D. Adams, 1912 (12.143)
Eschewing established female precedents, Longman's allegorical Victory is a male figure. He stands on tiptoe, arms thrown triumphantly over his head, a windblown mantle flowing behind him. In his left hand are the traditional symbols of victory: a spray of oak leaves and a laurel wreath. The sculptor's choice of classicizing costume—short cuirass, greaves with acanthus patterning covering the shins, and fillet around the head—ally this champion with those of famed athletic contests of the ancient Greeks and Romans. This statuette is a reduction after a monumental model of Victory that was displayed on the dome of Festival Hall at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, held in St. Louis in 1904. Longman's statue was a focal point of the fairgrounds and launched her career.







