Willa Cather Sculpture

Own a piece of history!

The Willa Cather Foundation is pleased to announce an opportunity to own a copy of the sculpture of Willa Cather created by artist Littleton Alston that is destined for the National Statuary Hall Collection of the U.S. Capitol. The bronze sculptures will be twelve inches tall, mounted on a polished walnut base, and each individually signed by the artist.

Cather is portrayed hiking through the open prairie with a walking stick, wearing a brimmed hat and clothed in the style of women’s sport suits of the day. In addition to taking inspiration from archival photographs of Cather during the height of her career in the 1920s, artifacts from the National Willa Cather Center’s museum collection were also incorporated into the design. These include Cather’s gold snake ring, and a turquoise jacket that was a gift from her editor, Alfred Knopf, and his wife Blanche.

The full-sized sculpture has been cast in bronze and is now in storage awaiting a future unveiling at the U.S. Capitol. “I’ve portrayed Cather as a mature artist in her prime,” Alston said of his final design. “I sought to capture Willa Cather’s spirit, coupled with her achievements and aspirations in this sculpture.” Willa Cather will become one of only nine other women represented in the collection, while sculptor Littleton Alston will be the first African American artist to have a piece in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The Willa Cather Foundation has been named the exclusive retailer for the 1-foot sculptures by the Willa Cather National Statuary Hall Committee.

Proceeds of all sales will support the purchase of a full-scale edition of the original bronze to be placed in the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, Nebraska.

• 12" bronze sculpture
• Polished walnut base
• Signed by sculptor Littleton Alston

NOTE: $1,200 of the $3,000 price is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution to the National Willa Cather Center.