Cornelius Vanderbilt I 1882

This bronze relief of Cornelius Vanderbilt I was made by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in the late 19th century. Vanderbilt, a shipping and railroad tycoon, was a prominent figure in the Gilded Age, an era of immense wealth and stark social inequality in the United States. Saint-Gaudens was a leading sculptor who helped to establish a new, distinctly American art. His work often celebrated heroic figures, and this portrait of Vanderbilt certainly elevates its subject. The profile view, combined with the formal attire, creates a sense of dignity and power. Yet, the inclusion of Vanderbilt's age in the inscription, and the somewhat sunken features, hint at the human cost of such ambition. To fully understand this work, we might turn to historical sources, economic data, and biographical studies. By exploring the social and institutional contexts, we can better understand the values and anxieties of the era.