Hart, Joel Tanner (1810-1877) Papers, 1836-1877

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Hart, Joel T. (Joel Tanner), 1810-1877 

Title:  Papers, 1836-1877 

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department. 

Size of Collection:  0.33 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. A H325 

Scope and Content Note 

The collection is primarily made up of correspondence to and from Joel Tanner Hart. The earliest is written from Hart to his brother while Hart was still a stonecutter. The preponderance of the letters center around the expatriate group of artists gathered in Florence in the mid and late 1800s. Of particular interest is a letter dated 24 September 1868 from Hart’s cousin, Z. Layson, who writes extensively about economic, social, and political conditions in Whitley County, Ky. 

Biographical Note 

Joel Tanner Hart was born near Winchester, Ky., on 10 February1810. A sculptor, Hart was most famous for his busts of Cassius Marcellus Clay, Andrew Jackson, John J. Crittenden, Robert Wickliffe, Alexander Campbell, and most notably, Henry Clay. It was his sculptures of Henry Clay which brought him national and even international acclaim. In 1849 Hart moved to Florence, Italy and was a prominent member of the expatriate art community in the city. He died in Florence on 2 March 1877. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HART, SEE THE PHOTOCOPIED ENTRY FROM THE DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY LOCATED IN THE FINDING AID FOLDER OF THIS COLLECTION. 

Folder List 

Folder 1: Correspondence, 1836-1839 

Folder 2: Correspondence, 1845-1849 

Folder 3: Correspondence, 1850-1859 

Folder 4: Correspondence, 1865-1874 

Folder 5: Miscellaneous