Susan B. Anthony Museum reveals refurbished sculpture of suffragist

The Susan B. Anthony Museum and House unveiled a newly restored statuette of the famous women’s suffragist on Saturday in the museum’s Carriage House to celebrate Anthony’s 205th birthday.

Museum CEO Deborah Hughes said locals Mark and Patty Widener — who bought a house from Anthony’s grandniece Grace — gave the statue and other artifacts they found in their home to the museum.

The statuette was in bad condition, Hughes said. It was dark in color and some of the plaster had been detached. The West Lake Art Conservation cleaned it and repaired areas of detached plaster around Anthony’s neck, upper back and the base.

Sculptor Bessie Potter Vonnoh created the small sculpture in 1896. Dr. Julie Aronson, an expert on Vonnoh, said via a Zoom interview that she only knows of two other small statuettes that mirror the size and scale of the Susan B. Anthony sculpture. Statuettes aren’t prevalent on the art market, she said.

Preserving the statue was important to the mission of the museum, Hughes said.

“We are holders of part of our nation’s history right here on Madison Street,” she said.

Last week, President Donald Trump dismissed the head of the US National Archives. The Trump Administration has also taken steps to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at public agencies.

“I find it surreal,” Hughes said, adding that while the museum does not advocate for Anthony’s agenda, it holds her up as an example.

“What museums do is we create places where people can think for themselves, and Susan B. Anthony did say many times that you can’t have a strong democracy if you don’t have education and freedom.”

Bank of America funded the restoration of the statuette as part of its Bank of America Art Conservation Project, an effort that provides grants to nonprofit cultural institutions around the world to conserve historically and significant works of art.

Kristina Dengler, market executive of Bank of America Rochester, showed up on behalf of the financial institution.

“Cultural institutions like the National Susan B. Anthony Museum are essential for preserving and sharing the stories of change makers, of leaders and of artists,” Dengler said. “Susan B Anthony’s life and achievements are a key part of Rochester’s history.”

Bank of America’s Art Conservation Project has supported more than 261 projects across 40 countries.