The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, with the help of a Bank of America Art Conservation Project grant, completed the conservation of a plaster statuette (statue) of a seated Susan B. Anthony made by Gilded Age-era sculptor Bessie Potter Vonnoh (1872-1955) in 1896. This conservation project was one of a select group of 24 Art Conservation Projects announced in 2024 by Bank of America.
Bessie Potter grew up in Chicago and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. She is one of the most recognized artists of her time, with works in many major museums throughout the United States.
The plaster statuette of Susan B. Anthony was a recent donation to the Anthony Museum from Mark and Patty Weidner in memory of Grace D. Anthony, Susan B. Anthony’s great niece. The statuette used to sit on Grace’s desk, and Susan B. Anthony’s biography and diary confirm that she sat for the artist in the 1890’s for this piece.
The conservation of this one-piece plaster statuette was completed by the West Lake Art Conservation Center, in Skaneateles, New York. Conservation efforts repaired areas of detached plaster all around the figure, especially in the neck, upper back, and base.
The statuette [was] cracked throughout, with detached pieces, which are in danger of further loss of original primary source if not treated,” said Chiara G. Kuhns, M.A.C., PAIC Senior Paintings Conservator and Head of Paintings Lab, West Lake Art Conservation Center. “The statuette [was] also in need of an overall cleaning, which would, aesthetically bring the work of art back to its original, intended state.”
“The conservation treatment of the statuette was extensive,” said Kuhns. “A corner was missing from its base, as well as [a corner of] the book that she holds in her hands. There was a heavy dirt, grime and soot layer imbedded on the surface of the entire statuette, which was removed and returned the statuette to its original and intended hues. The large losses were cast and smaller losses, especially around her neck, were infilled and intoned to match the plaster of the statuette.”
“Susan B. Anthony’s remarkable life and achievements are a key part of Rochester’s history and the legacy of women’s suffrage in the United States,” said Colleen Matteson, president, Bank of America Rochester. “Cultural institutions like the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House are integral to building understanding in our local communities, and beyond. We are thrilled that Bank of America’s Art Conservation Project supported the restoration of Bessie Potter Vonnoh’s statue, allowing museumgoers to experience this artifact from a crucial period in our history.”
The Bank of America Art Conservation Project (ACP) provides grants to nonprofit cultural institutions around the globe to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art. Since 2010, Bank of America’s ACP grant program has supported more than 261 projects across 40 countries to conserve paintings, sculptures, and archeological and architectural works. In partnership with Bank of America, the Anthony Museum made the necessary repairs to the maquette to help ensure its longevity and continue Susan B. Anthony’s legacy.
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