Portrait busts of abolitionists and patrons (such as Anna Quincy Waterston), and subjects depicting her dual African American and Native American ancestry were Lewis's specialty. She also completed several mythological subjects or "fancy pieces," such as the figure biblical Hagar, which you can see above.

Edmonia Lewis was the first professional African American sculptor, born in New York in 1843/45. Her father was a free African American and her mother a Chippewa Indian. From the beginning, she was determined to become a sculptor. With a minimum of training, exposure, and experience, Lewis began ...