The National Sculpture Society

The National Sculpture Society has a long and storied history. Founded in 1893 by Henry Adams and a group of his fellow sculptors, the Society had the mission of

"spread[ing] the knowledge of good sculpture, foster[ing] the taste for, and encourag[ing] the production of ideal sculpture for the household, and promot[ing] the decoration of public buildings" in America.

Very quickly the newly formed Society gathered the elite of the American sculptural world: Augustus Saint-Gaudens, James Earle Fraser, Victor D. Brenner, Adolph Weinman, Hermon MacNeil, and many others. During the first half of the 20th century, the Society came to be strongly associated with "classical" rather than "modern" sculpture. This meant that the NSS was a natural gathering place for medallic sculptors because that medium was regarded as traditional and old-fashioned by the modernists. Many of the sculptors represented on this website were members of the NSS.

Today, the National Sculpture Society still "promotes excellence in sculpture that is inspired by the natural world" in the form of a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that your support would not only be welcome but also tax-deductable.

The National Sculpture Society awards many prizes for excellence in different sculptural fields. Several of the prizes have been associated with beautiful medals, so make sure to check out the Medals tab.