Fortune (after William Morris Hunt)

George Andrew

After the painting of Fortune by William Morris Hunt, the painting itself being a study for Hunt's mural, "The Discoverer," commissioned by the State of New York for the Assembly Chamber at the state capitol in Albany and completed in 1878. This woodengraving by George T. Andrew was commissioned by American Art Review (1880, Vol. I, p. unpag. between 102 and 103) for its special deluxe edition. Printed beside this image in the book was a second figure, Hope, that would be included in the the mural, and together these were titled "Studies for the Paintings in Albany."

Regarding the mural, according to the Cleveland Museum of Art:

"The mural showed Christopher Columbus standing boldly in a boat facing west. Winged Fortune stood behind him, her left hand holding the rudder as her right hand spread the sail. Hope sat in the bow, Science held a navigational chart, and Faith, covering her eyes, swam blindly ahead. Hunt only had two months to paint the murals, making many preparatory studies like this one. Not long after Hunt's death, massive leakage and cracking began to destroy the murals, which he had painted directly onto the wall. Eventually, a new ceiling was added to the chamber, concealing the murals completely."

Andrew would go on to print the published volumes of Edward Curtis's photographs of American Indians.