Beatrice Cenci

Neoclassicism produced a significant number of women sculptors, many of whom were American by birth. Among them, Harriet Hosmer enjoyed perhaps the greatest celebrity, entertaining dignitaries and connoisseurs in her Roman atelier with the practical aplomb of a 'grand maître'.
The only pupil of leading English neoclassical sculptor John Gibson RA, Hosmer would become his equal, one of the finest sculptors of the 19th century, male or female. She adapted continental neoclassicism to a personal vision steeped in the classical philosophies of a democratic nation. Capable of producing work on a large scale and to specific order, she was especially proficient in the execution of public monuments. Her smaller works were frequently issued in multiples to accommodate demand. Among her most popular was 'Beatrice Cenci', which exists in several versions. Beatrice Cenci was a 16th century Roman noblewoman whose family tragedy saw her endure abuse and trauma before suffering the harshest of punishments when she fought back.