Study for Victory (from Sketchbook) 1857 - 1860

John Quincy Adams Ward made this study for Victory in pen and ink, probably in the late 19th century. The sketch depicts a full-length female figure holding a spear while standing on a pedestal, her other arm is outstretched pointing to the distance. This piece gives us insight into how artists working at this time used classical imagery to evoke particular ideas about American identity. The figure, likely meant to represent Columbia, signals a broader cultural impulse to align the United States with the ideals of the Roman Republic. Ward’s sculpture of Victory was commissioned for a Civil War monument, so it’s important to consider how gendered and racialized ideologies were wrapped up in notions of national triumph. What did "victory" mean for newly freed Black Americans, and how did its representation in public art shape their sense of belonging? Although classical art is the focus here, we should recognize how it reflected and molded contemporary views on citizenship and progress. As you stand here, consider who is included, who is excluded, and what stories remain untold.