BELA LYON PRATT (1867-1917)

The present work depicts Nathan Hale, an American Revolutionary who was captured and hung while on an espionage mission for George Washington in 1776. A life-sized version of this work is displayed at Hale's alma mater, Yale University. "Although some Yale men objected to Hale being portrayed bound and manacled, the [Yale Alumni] Weekly remained staunchly behind Pratt's intent to show the patriot in the last moments before he was hanged by the British," when he famously said: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." (as quoted in K. Greenthal, P.M. Kozol, J.S. Ramirez, American Figurative Sculpture in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston, 1986, pp. 318, 316) Another cast of this model resides in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.