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Anna Hyatt Huntington was one of the greatest American

animal sculptors of the 20th century and renowned in the art
world even though she has been referred to as
“the most famous woman artist you’ve never heard of.”

Anna Hyatt Huntington, the daughter of a zoologist, At age 47, Anna married the railroad heir and philanthropist Our mission at Brookgreen was established by Archer and
paleontologist and professor at MIT and Boston University, Archer Milton Huntington, who helped take her career to new Anna Huntington and as an organization we work every day
was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1876. Following heights. Archer provided the funds to cast her early works to honor their legacy and steward their incredible gift to South
her keen interest in animals and anatomy, she took private art and donate them to various institutions like the Metropolitan Carolina and the world.
lessons and learned to make small animal sculptures, before Museum of Art. He also had founded the Hispanic Society
moving to New York City in 1902 where she enrolled in the of America in 1904, for which Anna created the equestrian
Art Students League. The artist quickly found a market for her monument El Cid (1927), among other sculptures.
small sculptures. By 1915 she was so successful that she was The Huntingtons discovered Brookgreen in 1929 while they Page Hayhurst Kiniry has served as President and CEO
one of ten women in America making more than $50,000 were looking for a winter home and made their first purchase of of Brookgreen Gardens since 2017, as part of her 30-year
a year! land in 1930. Anna had developed tuberculosis, so they wanted career in higher education and non-profit administration.
After receiving a bronze medal at the 1904 St. Louis World’s to escape the cold northern winters. Through the 1930s, they A graduate of the College of William and Mary, she also
Fair, she began constructing larger works like her 1915 bronze acquired 9,127 acres of forest, beach and riverfront land. Together holds a Masters of Humanities in museum studies from
sculpture Joan of Arc. The massive monument depicts the they established the property as a wildlife sanctuary, ensuring the the University of Richmond. She and her husband Bill
famed heroine on horseback, clad head to toe in armor. With history of the area is preserved for future generations. They found have four grown children and live with Angus, the Scottish
this commission, Huntington became the first woman to create and bought this beautiful property and soon realized they needed Deerhound, Brookgreen’s “spokes-dog” and a descendant
a public sculpture in Manhattan. Simultaneously, the piece was to celebrate all this beauty and history and share it with everyone of the Huntington’s line of AKC deerhounds. (Follow him
on Instagram @ angusofbrookgreen) www.brookgreen.org
the first public monument in New York to honor a real woman, – and that’s what they did, creating Brookgreen Gardens in 1931
rather than an allegorical or mythological figure. and opening it to the public in 1932.

843.237.2094 | www.lachicotte.com Brookgreen Gardens | The Kings Grant 11