Lot 198: PLASTER BUST OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. Shobal

PLASTER BUST OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. Shobal Vail Clevenger (Ohio, 1812-1843), signed and dated 1837 on the back. A neoclassical portrait of the ninth president of the United States. Repair at the neck. 20 1/2"h. Ex collection of the Brooklyn historical Society, Brooklyn, New York. Clevenger was born in Middletown, Ohio, and, in his teens, developed an interest in sculpting. While training under stonecutters in Cincinnati, Clevenger executed a fine bust of Ebenezer Thomas Smith, editor of the cincinnati Daily Evening Post, which resulted in a number of commissions (including John Quincy adams and Henry Clay), as well as the patronage of Nicholas Longworth. Following fellow Cincinnatian hiram Powers, Clevenger traveled to Europe in 1840, spending time in France and Italy. Unfortunately, he contracted tuberculosis in 1843. He died on a boat west of Gibralter and was buried at sea.