White Marmorean Flock

I mentioned sculptor Vinnie Ream a while back. She was a member of a group of American women sculptors in Italy dubbed by Henry James as the "White Marmorean Flock."

Statue of Thomas Hart Benton by Harriet Hosmer, Saint Louis, Missouri, 1868

The term refers to a group of expatriate women sculptors who worked in a classical style. The names include Louisa Lander, Harriet Hosmer, Anne Whitney, Emma Stebbins, Edmonia Lewis, Margaret Foley, Florence Freeman, and Vinnie Ream.

Zenobia in Chains by Harriet Hosmer (1830-1898)

In Italy they were able to exist independently from marital and domestic commitments that typically ended the budding careers of young women artists in America.

Harriet Hosmer, surrounded by with her assistants and carvers in Rome

Harriet Hosmer was one of the first women to support herself fully on her income from sculpting. She said: "I honor every woman who has strength enough to step outside the beaten path when she feels that her walk lies in another; strength enough to stand up and be laughed at, if necessary."