Captain John O'Donnell, (sculpture).

Captain John O'Donnell, (sculpture).

Streett, Tylden Westcott, 1922- , sculptor.

Captain John O'Donnell, (sculpture).

Modeled 1978. Installed April 1979. Dedicated 1980. Rededicated June 18, 1997. Removed April 5, 2021.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Base: granite.

Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. x 42 in. x 39 in.; Base: approx. 6 ft. x 52 in. x 49 in.

(Sculpture, on bronze base beneath proper right foot:) T. STREETT/1979 (Base, north and south sides:) CAPTAIN JOHN/O'DONNELL/1749-1805 signed

Portrait of Captain John O'Donnell standing with his legs spread wide apart. He holds a wide brimmed hat in his proper right hand and gestures to his left his proper left hand. He looks off in the opposite direction to where his left hand is pointing. He is dressed in a ruffled shirt, tall boots with buckles, knee breeches, and a jacket with tails. The sculpture rests on a tall, square base.

Portrait male -- O'Donnell, John -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Captain

Administered by City of Baltimore, Recreation and Parks, 2600 Madison Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21217

Formerly located O'Donnell Square, O'Donnell & Curley Streets, Baltimore, Maryland 1979-2021.

John O'Donnell, a native of Limerick, Ireland, arrived in Baltimore in 1785. Already a wealthy merchant, he purchased several tracts of waterfront land east of Fells Point and named his property after Canton, China, from where he imported many of his goods. He represented the city of Baltimore in the State legislature, gained a repuation as an orator, and became known as the "Father of the Potomac Canal." Although a Colonel in the Militia, he was known as Captain O'Donnell because of the many ships he owned and sailed. During his career, he was, among other things, a clerk, an accountant, a ship owner, a wine maker, a politician, an adventurer, and was once captured by Arabs and sold into slavery. He held a position in the East India Company. At the age of 56, he was one of the wealthiest men in America.

An inscription on a nearby plaque reads: CAPTAIN JOHN O'DONNELL, THE FOUNDER OF/THE CANTON COMMUNITY WAS A MAN OF GREAT/VISION AND ACCOMPLISHMENT. HE INITIATED TRADE BETWEEN CANTON, CHINA AND BALTIMORE/IN 1785 OPERATING HIS OWN MERCHANT/SAILING VESSELS. THIS PUBLIC SQUARE/ONCE THE SITE OF THE CANTON MARKET/IS DEDICATED IN HIS HONOR.

IAS files contain copy of article from The Sun (Baltimore, Md), July 12, 1980. For further related information see Henry and Caroline Naylor's "Public Monuments & Sculpture of Baltimore: An Introduction to the Collection," 1987.

Canton, Maryland, "Canton Cove Newsletter," 1988.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Maryland, Baltimore survey, 1993.

Inventory staff, 2000.

Baltimore, Maryland, "Canton Cove Newsletter," October 1988, Volume I, Issue 6.

Sun (Baltimore, MD), July 12, 1980.

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

Control Number:

Horizon Information Portal 3.25_9382

Powered by SirsiDynix

About | © 2020 Smithsonian | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact

SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System