“Old Arrow Maker,” crafted by Edmonia Lewis in 1872, is a marble sculpture exemplary of the Neoclassicism art movement. The artwork is housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, USA. This piece portrays a detailed and dynamic scene cemented in marble, reflecting the artist’s neoclassical sensibilities and meticulous craftsmanship.
The artwork depicts two figures: an elder, presumably the arrow maker, and a younger person possibly an apprentice or descendent, engaged in the craft of arrow making. The elder figure is seated, with a focused expression, engaged in the meticulous task of shaping arrows. The younger person kneels beside, perhaps learning or assisting in the process. The intricate detail in the figures’ clothing and the careful attention to their poses and expressions exemplify Lewis’s skill. The sculpture captures a moment of teaching and tradition, rendered with a high degree of realism and respect for cultural practices.
