BROWN, Henry Kirke (1814-1886) Early American sculptor,
painter, designer.
Born Leyden, Massachusetts, 24 February 1814.
He modeled bas-relief of Zachary Taylor for U.S. Mint
from which Taylor's Presidential and Indian Peace medals
were made. Four of his statues in United States Capitol.
Created statue of George Washington's Inauguration, 1856.
His nephew was named after him and also a sculptor,
see Bush-Brown, Henry Kirke.
Died Newburg, New York, 10 July 1886.
R E L I E F S
1849 Spring Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1849 Summer Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1849 Autumn Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1849 Winter Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C A S T P L A Q U E S
1852 Franklin (Benjamin) Portrait Plaque. . Greenslet GM-145
M E D A L S E R I E S
United States Indian Peace Medals:
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (large size)
[obverse portrait by Brown, reverse by John Reich,
three size dies reduced and cut by Franklin Peale;
struck by U.S. Mint] . . . . . . Loubat 64, Julian IP-27
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . BMP 1:4370, BMP 2:5156-5157;
J&J 9:447-448, J&J 21:1680; NAS 22:1617-1618;
PCA 49:53, PCA 51:283, PCA 52:299, PCA 53:276-277,
PCA 64:600, PCA 68:404, PCA 71:435, PCA 73:536
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . .1883.23.20
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . 345:69
Collection: Cornell Univ Johnson Art Gallery . . . . . . 100
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (medium
size). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian IP-28
Auctions:. . BMP 2:5158; NAS 22:1619; PCA 53:278-279,
PCA 70:624, PCA 73:537
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . . 1883.23.21
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 42
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (small
size). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian IP-29
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5159; NAS 22:1620; PCA 46:212,
PCA 53:280-281, PCA 61:293, PCA 64:602, PCA 73:539
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . . 1883.23.22
United States Presidential Medal Series:
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Presidential Medal (obv by H.K.
Brown, rev by Christian Gobrecht). . . . . . . . Julian PR-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 68:224
L I S T M E D A L S
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (large) [obverse
portrait by Brown, reverse by John Reich]. . . . . List 112
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 33:1096; PCA 43:FP12
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1854ca Spirit’s Flight (The) Medallion Relief (original by Erastus
Dow Palmer, replicated by Henry Kirke Brown). . . . . . . . . . .
Exhibited: Library of Congress Dream of Flight, 2003-2004
Photo: Library of Congress P&P (see archives below)
1861 New York City George Washington Equestrian Statue
Medal (by George H. Lovett after statue in Union Square
by Henry Kirke Brown). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 317
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5636; CAL 29:790; J&J 15:253,
J&J 18:507; PCA 45:443, PCA 48:322-323, PCA 63:1113,
PCA 64:1644
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . 374:261
1861 New York City Washington Equestrian Statue Medal
[smaller size, variety I]. . . . . . . . . . . Baker 318
1861 New York City Washington Equestrian Statue Medal
[smaller size, variety II] . . . . . . . . . . Baker 319
Auctions:. . . . . . . .PCA 51:708, PCA 63:1113, PCA 74:300
1864 Lincoln and Washington Equestrian Statue Medal
(Brown's statue on rev) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 248,
King 207, DeWitt AL 1864-54
1889 Washington (George) Inauguration Centennial
Equestrian Medal (engraved by E.A. Kretschman,
rev statue by Brown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas 13
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . J&J 10:1433, J&J 23:646; PCA 44:692,
PCA 58:1390, PCA 60:1109, PCA 66:950, PCA 74:1842
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . 1927.999.276
1889 Washington Centennial Soldiers Medal (attributed to
George H. Lovett by Joseph Levine, obv Washington
equestrian statue by Brown). . . . . . . . . Douglas 45
Auctions:. . J&J 10:1483-1486, J&J 16:1845,
J&J 21:476; PCA 44:716, PCA 45:709-710
A R C H I V E S
AAA Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2 microfilm reels 2770, 2771.
IAS Inventory of American Sculpture (online).
Mss {1835-1969} Bush-Brown Family Papers, Smith College, Northampton,
Massachusetts, MS 26 (7 linear feet) 15 boxes, 8 volunes, plus oversize.
PPOC Library of Congress Department of Prints and Photographs, The Spirit’s Flight:
daguerreotype no. 1061; Reproduction Number LC-USZ6-1960 (b&w film).
C O L L E C T I O N S
C4 {1912} Comparette 69, p 345.
C8 {1965} Gardner, p 12-13.
C14 {1996} Marqusee 100, p 20.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
BL {1906} A.L.A. Portrait Index, p 203.
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 44, 448.
BE {1943} Webster's Biographical Dict, p 200.
BDAB{1946} Dictionay of American Biography, 2:1, p 121-124, by [A.A-s] Adeline
Adams.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 86.
BH {1963} Who Was Who, p 66.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 108.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:38
BANB{1999} American National Biography, p 3:681-682, by Wayne Craven.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:466.
PA1 {1999} Schmidt, p 2:866-867.
D3a {2006} Benezit. Dictionary of Artists, 2:1324.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
M2 {1878} Loubat 64, p 348, attributes the engraving of 1849 Taylor medal to Franklin
Peale, without mention of Brown, who prepared the model with Peale making the
dies from Brown's pattern.
A2 {1927} Fairman, p 193 (bio), 185 (portrait), passim.
S7 {1949} Douglas 45.
M19 {1963} Chamberlain (Georgia Stamm) American Medals and Medalists.
Annandale, Virginia: Turnpike Press. 146 pages, 55 plates. Reprinted article:
∙ President Zachary Taylor's Indian Peace Medal, The Numismatist 72:5 (May
1959) pp 519-524. In reprint: 99-108; figures 15, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24 and 30.
A12 {1968} Craven, passim, (biblio) 733.
101 {1957} Miller (Agnes) Centenary of a New York Statue. New York History 38:
(April 1957) pp 167-176 [on Brown's GeorgeWashington equestrian statue.]
A17 {1974} Broder
A18 {1974} Goode, p 84, 287.
AEW {1976} Whitney Museum of Art (bio) p 262-263.
M37 {1977} Julian IP-27 to IP-29, p 50-51; PR-10 85.
A29 {1982} Baigell, p 51.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 18.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 45, p 213, 248 104; 317, 318, 319 149.
AE3 {1991} Chadbourne et al, p 90.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 42.
S55 {1993} Greenslet, GM-145, p 64.
A42 {1993} Reynolds, p 121, 173.
N41 {2009} Reed (Fred). Abraham Lincoln, The Image of His Greatness, p 5, 137-139, 186, 204.
painter, designer.
Born Leyden, Massachusetts, 24 February 1814.
He modeled bas-relief of Zachary Taylor for U.S. Mint
from which Taylor's Presidential and Indian Peace medals
were made. Four of his statues in United States Capitol.
Created statue of George Washington's Inauguration, 1856.
His nephew was named after him and also a sculptor,
see Bush-Brown, Henry Kirke.
Died Newburg, New York, 10 July 1886.
R E L I E F S
1849 Spring Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1849 Summer Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1849 Autumn Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1849 Winter Bas-Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C A S T P L A Q U E S
1852 Franklin (Benjamin) Portrait Plaque. . Greenslet GM-145
M E D A L S E R I E S
United States Indian Peace Medals:
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (large size)
[obverse portrait by Brown, reverse by John Reich,
three size dies reduced and cut by Franklin Peale;
struck by U.S. Mint] . . . . . . Loubat 64, Julian IP-27
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . BMP 1:4370, BMP 2:5156-5157;
J&J 9:447-448, J&J 21:1680; NAS 22:1617-1618;
PCA 49:53, PCA 51:283, PCA 52:299, PCA 53:276-277,
PCA 64:600, PCA 68:404, PCA 71:435, PCA 73:536
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . .1883.23.20
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . 345:69
Collection: Cornell Univ Johnson Art Gallery . . . . . . 100
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (medium
size). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian IP-28
Auctions:. . BMP 2:5158; NAS 22:1619; PCA 53:278-279,
PCA 70:624, PCA 73:537
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . . 1883.23.21
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 42
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (small
size). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian IP-29
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5159; NAS 22:1620; PCA 46:212,
PCA 53:280-281, PCA 61:293, PCA 64:602, PCA 73:539
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . . 1883.23.22
United States Presidential Medal Series:
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Presidential Medal (obv by H.K.
Brown, rev by Christian Gobrecht). . . . . . . . Julian PR-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 68:224
L I S T M E D A L S
1849 Taylor (Zachary) Indian Peace Medal (large) [obverse
portrait by Brown, reverse by John Reich]. . . . . List 112
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 33:1096; PCA 43:FP12
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1854ca Spirit’s Flight (The) Medallion Relief (original by Erastus
Dow Palmer, replicated by Henry Kirke Brown). . . . . . . . . . .
Exhibited: Library of Congress Dream of Flight, 2003-2004
Photo: Library of Congress P&P (see archives below)
1861 New York City George Washington Equestrian Statue
Medal (by George H. Lovett after statue in Union Square
by Henry Kirke Brown). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 317
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5636; CAL 29:790; J&J 15:253,
J&J 18:507; PCA 45:443, PCA 48:322-323, PCA 63:1113,
PCA 64:1644
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . 374:261
1861 New York City Washington Equestrian Statue Medal
[smaller size, variety I]. . . . . . . . . . . Baker 318
1861 New York City Washington Equestrian Statue Medal
[smaller size, variety II] . . . . . . . . . . Baker 319
Auctions:. . . . . . . .PCA 51:708, PCA 63:1113, PCA 74:300
1864 Lincoln and Washington Equestrian Statue Medal
(Brown's statue on rev) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 248,
King 207, DeWitt AL 1864-54
1889 Washington (George) Inauguration Centennial
Equestrian Medal (engraved by E.A. Kretschman,
rev statue by Brown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas 13
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . J&J 10:1433, J&J 23:646; PCA 44:692,
PCA 58:1390, PCA 60:1109, PCA 66:950, PCA 74:1842
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . 1927.999.276
1889 Washington Centennial Soldiers Medal (attributed to
George H. Lovett by Joseph Levine, obv Washington
equestrian statue by Brown). . . . . . . . . Douglas 45
Auctions:. . J&J 10:1483-1486, J&J 16:1845,
J&J 21:476; PCA 44:716, PCA 45:709-710
A R C H I V E S
AAA Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2 microfilm reels 2770, 2771.
IAS Inventory of American Sculpture (online).
Mss {1835-1969} Bush-Brown Family Papers, Smith College, Northampton,
Massachusetts, MS 26 (7 linear feet) 15 boxes, 8 volunes, plus oversize.
PPOC Library of Congress Department of Prints and Photographs, The Spirit’s Flight:
daguerreotype no. 1061; Reproduction Number LC-USZ6-1960 (b&w film).
C O L L E C T I O N S
C4 {1912} Comparette 69, p 345.
C8 {1965} Gardner, p 12-13.
C14 {1996} Marqusee 100, p 20.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
BL {1906} A.L.A. Portrait Index, p 203.
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 44, 448.
BE {1943} Webster's Biographical Dict, p 200.
BDAB{1946} Dictionay of American Biography, 2:1, p 121-124, by [A.A-s] Adeline
Adams.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 86.
BH {1963} Who Was Who, p 66.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 108.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:38
BANB{1999} American National Biography, p 3:681-682, by Wayne Craven.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:466.
PA1 {1999} Schmidt, p 2:866-867.
D3a {2006} Benezit. Dictionary of Artists, 2:1324.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
M2 {1878} Loubat 64, p 348, attributes the engraving of 1849 Taylor medal to Franklin
Peale, without mention of Brown, who prepared the model with Peale making the
dies from Brown's pattern.
A2 {1927} Fairman, p 193 (bio), 185 (portrait), passim.
S7 {1949} Douglas 45.
M19 {1963} Chamberlain (Georgia Stamm) American Medals and Medalists.
Annandale, Virginia: Turnpike Press. 146 pages, 55 plates. Reprinted article:
∙ President Zachary Taylor's Indian Peace Medal, The Numismatist 72:5 (May
1959) pp 519-524. In reprint: 99-108; figures 15, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24 and 30.
A12 {1968} Craven, passim, (biblio) 733.
101 {1957} Miller (Agnes) Centenary of a New York Statue. New York History 38:
(April 1957) pp 167-176 [on Brown's GeorgeWashington equestrian statue.]
A17 {1974} Broder
A18 {1974} Goode, p 84, 287.
AEW {1976} Whitney Museum of Art (bio) p 262-263.
M37 {1977} Julian IP-27 to IP-29, p 50-51; PR-10 85.
A29 {1982} Baigell, p 51.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 18.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 45, p 213, 248 104; 317, 318, 319 149.
AE3 {1991} Chadbourne et al, p 90.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 42.
S55 {1993} Greenslet, GM-145, p 64.
A42 {1993} Reynolds, p 121, 173.
N41 {2009} Reed (Fred). Abraham Lincoln, The Image of His Greatness, p 5, 137-139, 186, 204.