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Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876-1973) was an American sculptress born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From an early age, Huntington was encouraged by her father to develop and hone her artistic talents. She was mostly self-taught, with the exception of doing a brief study in Boston and at the Art Students League in New York. When she was 24 years old, Huntington held her first solo exhibition, where she was praised for her powerful and classical style. She went on to have a successful career, exhibiting her work regularly, and winning numerous awards and commissions.
One of her most significant works, Joan of Arc (1915), was the first public monument by a woman in New York City. Today, she is recognized as one of the finest American sculptors of the 20th century. Her work is displayed in public locations and museums throughout the country and around the world. Huntington’s biggest legacy remains Brookgreen Gardens. In 1923, Huntington married philanthropist and scholar Archer Milton Huntington. In 1930, they purchased Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina and soon transformed the property into a public space for more than 300 sculptures. It became the first public sculpture garden in America. Today its permanent collection represents the best of American sculpture from the 19th century to the present.
Anna Hyatt Huntington (American, 1876 – 1973), ‘Diana of the Hunt’, 1922; recast 1960, bronze, Gift of Anna Hyatt Huntington, AG.1961.15.1
Diana of the Hunt was given to the Cummer Museum by Huntington in celebration of its opening in 1961. She is highly regarded for her depiction of human and animal anatomy, and Diana of the Hunt combines these two strengths. Perched atop a globe, Diana, Roman goddess of women and patroness of the hunt, shoots an arrow towards the moon as her hunting dog jumps in excitement. It has become an important element of the Museum’s beautiful and historic gardens.
