T. H. Gallaudet and Alice Cogswell, (sculpture).

T. H. Gallaudet and Alice Cogswell, (sculpture).

French, Daniel Chester, 1850-1931, sculptor.

American Art Foundry, founder.

T. H. Gallaudet and Alice Cogswell, (sculpture).

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Alice Cogswell, (sculpture).

1888. Cast 1924.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Base: tan granite.

Sculpture: approx. 6 ft. 4 in. x 43 in. x 50 in.; Base: approx. 55 x 54 x 60 in.

(On side of plinth, towards rear:) D.C. French, Sc./1888 (On other side of plinth:) American Art Foundry N.Y. (On front of base, incised:) FRIEND/TEACHER/BENEFACTOR (On south face of base, incised:) THIS REPLICA ERECTED BY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION/OF THE DEAF 1925/TO REPLACE MONUMENT ERECTED IN 1854 ON ORIGINAL/SITE OF THE FIRST AMERICAN SCHOOL (On east face of base:) (Names of five committee members) (On north face of base, incised:) THOMAS HOPKINS GALLAUDET, LL. D./BORN IN PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER 10, 1787/FOUNDED/AT HARTFORD THE FIRST SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF/IN AMERICA 1817/DIED AT HARTFORD, SEPTEMBER 10, 1851 signed Founder's mark appears.

Seated figure of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet who is shown with his first student, Alice Cogswell, who stands to his proper left. Gallaudet has his proper left arm around the girl's waist while with his proper right hand he makes the sign for the letter "A." Cogswell makes the "A" sign with her proper right hand while with her left she clasps an open book to her chest. Gallaudet is wearing a frock coat, trousers buttoned at the cuffs, weskit with lapels, and a big bow tie. Another coat or jacket is over the back of the chair, which has cabriole legs and claw feet. Cogswell is wearing a dress that falls to her ankles.

Portrait male -- Gallaudet, Thomas Hopkins -- Full length

Occupation -- Education -- Teacher

Portrait female -- Cogswell, Alice -- Full length

State of Being -- Disabled -- Deaf

Occupation -- Education -- Student

State of Being -- Emotion -- Friendship

Object -- Written Matter -- Book

Object -- Furniture -- Chair

History -- Arts & Sciences -- Education

Outdoor Sculpture -- Connecticut -- West Hartford

American School for the Deaf, 139 North Main Street, West Hartford, Connecticut 06107

Sculpture is a second casting. It replaces an earlier sculpture by James G. Batterson on a similar theme which was destroyed when an attempt was made to move it in 1920. The American School for the Deaf was the first school for the deaf in the United States and was co-founded by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. Alice Cogswell was his first student. IAS files contain a brief history of the school and a poster with a color print of the sculpture published by the American School for the Deaf. For related materials see the exhibition catalog, "Hartford's Outdoor Sculpture," Trinity College, Austin Arts Center, 1981, pg. 27-28.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Connecticut survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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