Patience Wright
Patience Wright (born Lovell; 1725 – March 23, 1786) was a sculptor of wax figures, and the first recognized American-born sculptor.Wright is recorded as creating at least 55 works; only her full-length figure of Lord Chatham (William Pitt) survives.
Quotes
[edit]- My Friends Write to Me from America that Joseph Wright (my Son) "has Painted a Likeness and also moddel’d a Clay Bust of General Washington which will be a very great honour to My Famaly."
- I most heartly thank my god for Sparing My life to See this hapy day.
- I joyne with all My friends in the pleasing prospect that Posterity will See, and behold the Statue of the man who was apointed by his Contry, and the voice of the Enlightend Part of Mankind to be the great general to Save the Liberties of the Christian Religion and Stop the Pride and Insolence of old England. and by his truly great and Noble Example in all human Vertues he has Restord Peace on Earth, good Will toward mankind.
- Truly hapy are You Sir, to have the greatful thanks of all Europe—with the Prayir of the Widows and the Fatherless—You have my most greatful thanks for your Kind atention to my Son in taking him in to your Famaly to encourage his genii and giving him the pleasing opertunity of taking a Likeness that has I Sincerly hope, gave his Contry and your Friends Sir, Satisfaction.
- I am Impatient to have a Copy of what he has done that I may have the honour of making a model from it in Wax Work—it has been for some time the Wish and desire of my heart to moddel a Likeness of generel Washington, then I shall think my Self ariv’d at the End of all my Earthly honours and Return in Peace to Enjoy my Native Country. I am Sir with gratitude an Respect Your very humble Servnt
- Letter to George Washington (December 8, 1783), Founders Online, National Archives, Papers of George Washington [1]
Quotes about Patience Wright
[edit]- I was an artist with many social connections, and – don’t tell! – I may have been a spy. I was born on Long Island, New York in 1725, but by the time I was four I was living in Bordentown, New Jersey. My father was a devout Quaker, and I was passionate about art, especially sculpting, so when I was twenty-one I moved to Philadelphia, the center of American art. I married a fellow Quaker, Joseph Wright, and we moved back to Bordentown, before he unexpectedly died in 1769. But I didn’t give up my art dreams, and along with my sister Rachel, who was also a widow, we started a business making wax sculptures, and soon we had salons in Philadelphia and New York City. I met Benjamin Franklin, and he convinced me to move to London and introduced me to important people who wanted to be sculpted. Things were bad between Britain and its colonies, and I supported the efforts of Prime Minister William Pitt who was trying to reconcile everyone. But at the same time, while my many subjects – including the King himself – were posing, we’d talk openly and honestly about what was going on. If any valuable military or political news came my way, I’d write it in a letter to the Continental Congress, which I would then smuggle out in my wax statues. I also tried to help American prisoners of war who were jailed in England. And at the same time, I also tried to compensate Loyalists for their losses. I wanted to get back to New Jersey, but I died in London in 1786. Nobody knows where I am buried.
- "Meet Your Revolutionary Neighbors", Crossroads of the American Revolution (n.d.)
