author
William Wetmore Story
1819–1895
An American sculptor, poet, and critic who traded law for art, he became one of the best-known expatriate figures in 19th-century Rome. He is especially remembered for marble works like Cleopatra and for the literary, artistic circle that gathered around him.
2 Audiobooks
A Roman Lawyer in Jerusalem : First Century
by William Wetmore Story
Excursions in Art and Letters
by William Wetmore Story
About the author
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1819, William Wetmore Story was the son of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story. He studied at Harvard College and Harvard Law School, practiced law for a few years, and also wrote on legal subjects before gradually turning toward literature and sculpture.
A trip to Italy changed the course of his life. Story settled in Rome, where he built a reputation as a sculptor and became a lively presence in the city's expatriate cultural world. His best-known works include Cleopatra, Medea, and the moving memorial often called Angel of Grief, created for his wife's tomb.
Story was more than a sculptor: he also published poetry, essays, and other writing, and his friendships linked him with many major literary and artistic figures of his time. He died in Vallombrosa, Italy, in 1895, leaving behind a career that connected American letters, European art, and the rich social world of the 19th century.