Head of a Man Wearing a Helmet (from McGuire Scrapbook) 1821 - 1880

George Augustus Baker Jr. made this graphite drawing, Head of a Man Wearing a Helmet, sometime in the mid-19th century. The helmet suggests a classical antiquity, perhaps a Roman soldier. In the nineteenth century, idealized images like this were often used to evoke civic virtues and military prowess. This aesthetic can be found in Neoclassical sculpture and history painting of the same period. But why would an American artist like Baker choose to depict such a subject? What did ancient Rome mean to the United States in the 1800s? Perhaps the image reflects a desire to connect the young American republic with the glory and power of the Roman empire. Or it could be a comment on the militarism that would soon engulf the nation in the Civil War. As art historians, we use sources like letters, diaries, and political pamphlets to reveal the complex ways that images were used to shape ideas about national identity and social values.