Hiram Powers papers, 1819-1953, bulk 1835-1883

This series contains 9.0 linear feet of correspondence between Hiram Powers and family, friends, business associates, and others, primarily documenting his career and personal life after he and his family moved to Florence, Italy, in 1837. Found here are thousands of incoming letters as well as copies of outgoing letters written by Powers. Outgoing letters were copied by a process of placing moistened paper in a press, and because of this, these letters are often difficult to read and very fragile. Some of the personal correspondence is addressed to both Powers and his wife Elizabeth, or just to Elizabeth, and much of the business correspondence from the 1870s, while Hiram Powers was in ill health, was written by or addressed to his son, Preston Powers. Almost all letters have typed transcriptions completed by volunteers at the Smithsonian American Art Museum before the collection was donated to the Archives of American Art. Researchers should note that archivists have not verified these transcripts for accuracy.

Correspondence in this collection reveals much about Hiram Powers' artwork, methodology, and his interaction with business associates, patrons, and purchasers of his artwork. His business correspondence is with patrons such as William B. Astor, Edwin C. Litchfield, and John S. Preston, his business agents, such as Theodore Dehon in New York and M. M. Holloway in London, banking firms and shipping companies, and committees for U. S. government commissions. These letters often discuss financial details, his progress on commissioned sculptures, shipping instructions, his tool inventions and patent applications, and legal issues. Powers also corresponded with numerous individuals who privately commissioned works or inquired on purchasing works.

Powers and his family maintained a large circle of friends in the United States and Europe, including many artists, writers, as well as politicians whom he met while working in Washington, DC. In his very detailed letters he discusses his artwork and current studio projects, his views on the art world, the art community in Florence, ideal sculpture, and aesthetics. He also shares his thoughts on American politics, abolition of slavery and the Civil War, and Spiritualism. Letters sent to Powers from friends and acquaintances discuss general news of family, friends, travels, invitations, and inquiries on studying with Powers. Also found are many letters of introduction for people wishing to visit his studio in Florence. Powers corresponded extensively with family members, including his brothers Benjamin and Sampson Powers, and his wife, Elizabeth, during the period that he lived in Washington, DC.

Also of note in this series is extensive correspondence with his close friends Edward Everett, Samuel York Atlee, Sidney Brooks, William and E. Clementine Kinney, George P. Marsh, George Peabody, and John P. Richardson. Other notable correspondence includes letters to Powers from Presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams, and letters to or from William Cullen Bryant, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, John C. Calhoun, Thomas Crawford, Samuel Colt, John A. Dix, Asher Durand, Charles Francis Fuller, Henry Peters Gray, Horace Greeley, George P. A. Healy, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William Morris, Samuel F. B. Morse, Edmund Niemann, W. W. Story, John Sartain, Frances Trollope, and Daniel Webster.

Letters have been arranged alphabetically. Letters from individuals who had correspondence with Powers of four letters or less are found within the miscellaneous folders. This series has been scanned in its entirety, including the transcripts.