| TITLE
| John Milton |
| CREATOR | Unknown |
| DATE | 1800-1840 |
| DIMENSIONS | 27.5 x 15 x 9 in. |
| ORIGINAL FORMAT | Sculpture |
| MEDIUM | Plaster |
| PHYSICAL NOTE | This plaster sculpture is one of the 16 that sit atop the bookshelves in the library’s main hall. |
| DONOR | Gift of James Phalen |
| DATE OF ACCESSION | 1840 |
| LOCATION | Providence Athenæum: Main Library |
This bust of the English poet John Milton [1608-1674] is one of sixteen that circle the Athenæum’s main hall. Ten of the busts, including this one, were donated by James Phalen in 1840. Phalen, a Providence resident, was a managing contractor for U.S. lotteries. In 1838, Phalen’s Exchange and Lottery Office was located on North Main Street, very close to the newly opened Athenæum.
Born in London, Milton was educated at St. Paul’s School, and later attended Christ’s College in Cambridge. In 1638, he traveled to Italy, where he met the astronomer Galileo Galilei. The visit greatly impacted Milton - he became a freethinker, challenging conventional ideas of religion and politics. Milton is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost.
Though the original bust from which this plaster copy is derived is unidentified, it portrays a classic depiction of Milton wearing contemporary clothing underneath a classical toga.