Appeal to the Great Spirit, Bronze equestrian sculpture at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, US
Appeal to the Great Spirit is a bronze sculpture that stands outside the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, showing a rider on horseback with arms raised upward. The figure sits on a horse and faces forward, positioned at the museum's Huntington Avenue entrance for visitors to see as they arrive.
The sculpture was created by American artist Cyrus Dallin in 1909 and won a gold medal at the Paris Salon before being brought to Boston. It was installed at the museum's front entrance in 1912 and has remained there ever since.
The sculpture depicts a Native American in a spiritual pose that reflects how the artist understood Indigenous practices of his time. This image helped shape public perception of Native Americans in early twentieth century America.
The sculpture sits right at the Huntington Avenue entrance, making it easy to spot when you approach the museum, and it is free to view from outside. Since it stands outdoors, you can see it any time of day or year without worrying about closing times.
Several castings of this sculpture were made and sent to different locations around America, including one that hung in the White House Oval Office during President Clinton's time there. The multiple versions show how widely appreciated Dallin's work became across the country.
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