Founded in 1893, the National Sculpture Society (NSS) was the first organization of professional

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

s formed in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The purpose of the organization was to promote the welfare of American sculptors, although its founding members included several renowned

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

s. The founding members included such well known figures of the day as

Daniel Chester French Daniel Chester French (April 20, 1850 – October 7, 1931) was an American sculpture, sculptor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works include ''The Minute Man'', an 1874 statue in Concord, Massachusetts, and his Statue of Abr ...

, Augustus St. Gaudens,

Richard Morris Hunt Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of architecture of the United States. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 ...

, and

Stanford White Stanford White (November 9, 1853 – June 25, 1906) was an American architect and a partner in the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, one of the most significant Beaux-Arts firms at the turn of the 20th century. White designed many houses ...

as well as sculptors less familiar today, such as Herbert Adams, Paul W. Bartlett,

Karl Bitter Karl Theodore Francis Bitter (December 6, 1867 – April 9, 1915) was an Austrian-born American sculptor best known for his architectural sculpture, memorials and residential work. Life and career The son of Carl and Henrietta Bitter, he was ...

, J. Massey Rhind, Attilio Piccirilli, and

John Quincy Adams Ward John Quincy Adams Ward (June 29, 1830 – May 1, 1910) was an American sculptor, whose most familiar work is his larger than life-size standing statue of George Washington on the steps of Federal Hall National Memorial in New York City. Early y ...

—who served as the first president for the society. Since its founding in the nineteenth century, the National Sculpture Society (NSS) has remained dedicated to promoting figurative and realistic sculpture. During the years 1919 to 1924, four works commissioned from members of the National Sculpture Society were funded by philanthropist Paul Goodloe McIntire, including ''

George Rogers Clark George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752 – February 13, 1818) was an American military officer and surveyor from Virginia who became the highest-ranking Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot military officer on the American frontier, nort ...

'' (1921) by

Robert Ingersoll Aitken Robert Ingersoll Aitken (May 8, 1878 – January 3, 1949) was an American sculpture, sculptor. Perhaps his most famous work is the West Pediment of the United States Supreme Court Building. Life and career Born to Charles H. Aitken and Katherin ...

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It is the county seat, seat of government of Albemarle County, Virginia, Albemarle County, which surrounds the ...

. Membership worldwide in 2006 was around 4,000 members, including sculptors, architects, art historians, and conservators. Its headquarters, library, and gallery are located in

midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...

. In 1951, the NSS started publishing ''Sculpture Review'', a quarterly magazine. The name of the NSS publication was changed in 2024 to "Sculpture Quarterly". Past presidents of the society have included

, James Earle Fraser, Chester Beach, Wheeler Williams,

Leo Friedlander Leo Friedlander (July 6, 1888 – October 24, 1966) was an American sculpture, sculptor, who created several prominent works. Early life and education At 12 years old, Friedlander studied at the Art Students League of New York, Art Students Lea ...

Neil Estern Neil Carl Estern (April 18, 1926 – July 11, 2019) was an American sculptor. Known for his public monuments, Estern's best-known works are his sculptures of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Fala (dog), Fala at the Franklin Delano R ...

, and Cecil de Blaquiere Howard. The first woman to gain admission into the NSS was Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson, in 1893. She was followed a few years later by

Enid Yandell Enid Yandell (October 6, 1869 – June 12, 1934) was an American Sculpture, sculptor from Louisville, Kentucky, who studied with Auguste Rodin in Paris, Philip Martiny in New York City, and Frederick William Macmonnies, Frederick William MacMonn ...

and Bessie Potter Vonnoh in 1898; Janet Scudder in 1904; Anna Hyatt Huntington in 1905 and Evelyn Longman and Abastenia St. Leger Eberle in 1906. In 1946,

Richmond Barthé James Richmond Barthé, also known as Richmond Barthé (January 28, 1901 – March 5, 1989) was an African Americans, African-American sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Barthé is best known for his portrayal of black subjects. The ...

was likely the first

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

to be admitted. In 1994, the NSS held their first exhibition outside the United States at the Palazzo Mediceo Di Seravezza in Italy. Titled “100 Years of the National Sculpture Society of the United States of America in Italy” it ran from the 16th of July through the 4th of September and was curated by Nicky and

Stanley Bleifeld Stanley Bleifeld (August 28, 1924 – March 26, 2011) was an American sculptor. He lived between Weston, Connecticut, Weston, Connecticut, and Pietrasanta, Italy. Early life Stanley Bleifeld was born on August 28, 1924, in Brooklyn in New York Ci ...

along with Costantino Paolicchi in collaboration with Lodovico Gierut and Paolo Giorgi. Among the 60 notable American sculptors whose work was selected for the exhibition were

, Andrew DeVries, Neil Estern, Leonda Finke, Bruno Lucchesi, Barbara Lekberg, Richard MacDonald and Elliott Offner.National Sculpture Society, Finito di stampare nel mese di luglio 1994 dalle EDIZIONI ETS Pisa

References

External links

National Sculpture Society website
{{Authority control American artist groups and collectives American sculpture Art societies Art and design-related professional associations Arts organizations established in 1893 1893 establishments in the United States