John Parker, Jr. (1783-1844) 1842

Curator: The severe neoclassical style lends an aura of authority. The subject appears to be a man of influence. Editor: Indeed. This is Hiram Powers's marble bust of John Parker, Jr., a prominent Boston merchant. It stands a little over two feet tall. Curator: Marble lends a sense of permanence. Parker's blank stare is unnerving; his lack of pupils makes the image feel distant and symbolic, almost godlike. Editor: The bust likely reflects the ideals of the time—emphasizing respectability and civic virtue. It embodies the values that shaped early American society. Curator: Precisely, but the missing pupils create a feeling of loss, as though Parker is no longer among us. The image is both powerful and tragic. Editor: A compelling figure, captured at a moment of American ambition and social transformation. Curator: Powers has frozen Parker in a moment of enduring cultural relevance.