Bust of Charlotte Cushman by Emma Stebbins: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Marble bust of nineteenth-century actress Charlotte Cushman, carved by her partner Emma Stebbins at their home in Rome, Italy. Inscribed on back: "E.S. Roma/1860."

Charlotte Cushman was the most popular American female actor of the 1800s.

Dozens of her wealthiest fans bought busts like this one, made by Cushman’s longtime partner Emma Stebbins at a workshop in Rome where Cushman supported a community of “jolly female bachelors” who produced art and lobbied for working women’s rights. Cushman’s own fame derived from playing men’s roles such as Romeo. Although she never publicly discussed her sexuality or gender identity, her groundbreaking performances on and off stage led women to celebrate her in a range of products, believing that she “stretches out an almost boundless horizon… for me.”

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1860
• depicted (sitter): Cushman, Charlotte
• maker: Stebbins, Emma
• Object Name: bust
• Physical Description: marble (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 11 in x 7 in x 4 1/2 in; 27.94 cm x 17.78 cm x 11.43 cm
• place made: Italy: Latian, Rome
• associated subject: LGBTQ
• associated subject: Theater
• ID Number: 2018.0142.01
• accession number: 2018.0142
• catalog number: 2018.0142.01
• Credit Line: Gift of The Cushman Family
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.