(MILITARY CIVIL WAR) After John Rogers sculptor [Wounded Sc

Sale 2471 - Lot 272

Price Realized: $ 1,500

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 1,000 - $ 1,500

(MILITARY--CIVIL WAR.) After John Rogers, sculptor. [Wounded Scout: A Friend in the Swamp.] Parian sculpture, 18 3/4 inches high, on a 9 1/2-inch round base; a bit of the foliage between the two figures broken off, otherwise minor wear. Np, undated

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This sculpture depicts a poignant scene from the Civil War. A Union soldier, injured behind Confederate lines while on a scouting expedition, is helped to safety by an African-American in rags--apparently a slave. In contrast to many of the stereotypical depictions of this era, the African-American is depicted as strong and heroic. A coiled copperhead snake at their feet represents the Copperhead faction of northerners who opposed the war effort. John Rogers (1829-1904) was one of the most popular sculptors of the Civil War era, and this piece, first produced in 1864, is one of his best-known works. A copy found its way to the White House, where no less an authority than Abraham Lincoln pronounced it "excellent as a piece of art."
An unidentified British firm, perhaps Copeland, produced these parian copies of selected original Rogers group plasters in the late 19th century. They retain much of the rich detail from the original plasters, but can be easily distinguished because the parian shrinks to about 75% of its original size when fired. An original Rogers of the Wounded Scout at the New-York Historical Society stands 22 3/4 inches tall. This one, cast with a larger 3-inch pedestal base, is still considerably shorter at 18 3/4 inches.