“This small bronze medal captures a moment of grand historical celebration in 1909, honoring Henry Hudson's exploration and Robert Fulton's steamboat innovation. It's a tangible piece of history, commemorating two figures who shaped American progress.”
This bronze medal, created in 1909, commemorates a significant historical celebration: the Hudson-Fulton Celebration in New York. The event marked the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration of the Hudson River and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton's successful steamboat voyage. On one side, you see a detailed profile of Henry Hudson, framed by the inscription "HENRY HUDSON 1609." The reverse side features Robert Fulton, with "ROBERT FULTON 1807" inscribed, acknowledging his pioneering work with the steamboat. The medal's circular form and classic portraiture evoke a sense of timeless honor, celebrating these two figures who profoundly shaped American history and technological advancement. It serves as a tangible reminder of a grand public spectacle that blended historical remembrance with a forward-looking embrace of progress.
- Artist
- Will Roberts
- Date
- 1909
- Medium
- Bronze
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- Diam.: 6.9 cm (2 3/4 in.)
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
Observe the distinct facial features and period attire of Henry Hudson on one side.
Note the inscription "HENRY HUDSON 1609" precisely encircling his portrait.
Turn the medal to see Robert Fulton’s likeness and the date "1807."
Look closely at the subtle texture of the bronze, giving depth to the portraits.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Will Roberts
1907–2000 · United KingdomWill Roberts, a Welsh expressionist painter, captured the soul of industrial workers, farmers, and the dramatic Welsh landscape, earning recognition as one of Wales's modern masters.
Further Works by Roberts
More works to explore
Beyond Roberts: works from the same years.
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray
Piet Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Wrestlers in a Circus
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1909 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Female Passerby
Mikhail Larionov · 1911 · Ulyanovsk Oblast Art Museum
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Bathers by a River
Henri Matisse · 1909 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Little Harbor in Normandy
Georges Braque · 1909 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Maude Adams (1872–1953) as Joan of Arc
Alphonse Mucha · 1909 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler
Pablo Picasso · 1910 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Birth
Marc Chagall · 1911 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Consolation
Edvard Munch · 1907 · Munch Museum
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Crouching Nude in Shoes and Black Stockings, Back View
Egon Schiele · 1912 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Sellar Alp, Dolomites
John Singer Sargent · 1913 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Mont Sainte-Victoire
Paul Cézanne · 1904 · Detroit Institute of Arts