Rev. Cotton Mather (Son of Increase) Using His Powerful Influence to Overcome the Prejudice Against Inoculation for Smallpox in Boston, 1721 c. 1915

Sally James Farnham's 1915 bronze relief "Rev. Cotton Mather (Son of Increase) Using His Powerful Influence to Overcome the Prejudice Against Inoculation for Smallpox in Boston, 1721" depicts a historical moment from 18th-century Boston. The artwork portrays the influential Reverend Cotton Mather advocating for the use of smallpox inoculation, a controversial practice at the time. Farnham's detailed and expressive style brings the figures and scene to life, emphasizing the impact of Mather's leadership in promoting public health. The relief, now housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, serves as a reminder of the historical struggle to overcome fear and ignorance in the face of disease.