Miner Kilbourne Kellogg, born Manlius - Statue of Neptune, Venice - 1843 - T-Shirt

A pen-and-ink study of a bearded, largely nude male figure, drawn from a statue of the sea god Neptune in Venice in September 1843.

Visual Elements & Composition

Cream paper and sepia ink make up nearly the whole drawing. The figure stands in three-quarter profile, turned to the left, with long wavy hair and a full beard falling over the shoulders and chest. A band of drapery sits low across the hips, one hand gathering its folds at the front while the other rests on a curved, fin-like support. A tall, sinuous form rises behind the legs, and the figure stands on a square base above a stepped plinth. The lines are fine and even, with light hatching across the chest and stomach, and the inscription Venice, Sept 3d 1843 sits at lower right.

Meaning & Symbolism

The long locks, full beard and curved support identify the subject as Neptune, the classical god of the sea, whose statues stood in fountains, gardens and public squares. Venice, a city built on water and dependent on navigation and trade, was a fitting place to study such a figure. The calm contrapposto stance and steady gaze carry the god's authority, while the fluid outline of the support suggests the element he rules. Miner Kilbourne Kellogg, an American painter born in Manlius, New York, is best known for landscape and architectural subjects. This sheet records his study of statuary in the city and shows the disciplined outline that stayed central to his later work.

On the Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee

A drawing this detailed rewards a close look, and a tee is a surface you see up close and from every angle as you wear it. The figure is centred on the chest, so the full standing pose, with its drapery, support and plinth, reads as one composed image. Wear it and the fine hatching and steady outline of the original study stay in view.