The Old Man of Mikeno
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Caption
Carl E. Akeley (American, 1864–1926). The Old Man of Mikeno, 1923. Bronze, 24 3/4 x 29 1/2 x 20 in. (62.9 x 74.9 x 50.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of George D. Pratt, 24.552. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Collection
Collection
Artist
Cast by
Title
The Old Man of Mikeno
Date
1923
Medium
Bronze
Classification
Dimensions
24 3/4 x 29 1/2 x 20 in. (62.9 x 74.9 x 50.8 cm)
Signatures
Inscribed on front edge of base at center, under inscription: "Carl Akeley Sc" and "© 1923"
Inscriptions
Inscribed on front edge of base at center: "The Old Man of Mikeno"
Markings
Foundry mark inscribed on top of proper right side of base: "KUNST Foundry N.Y"
Credit Line
Gift of George D. Pratt
Accession Number
24.552
Frequent Art Questions
What's going on here?
That sculpture is "The Old Man of Mikeno" by Carl E. Akeley. It dates to 1923 and depicts a pretty realistic gorilla (to my eye, at least).In 1921, Akeley went on an expedition to Africa affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History that focused on gorillas. The title refers to Mt. Mikeno, part of the Virunga Mountains in East Africa.Where did this come from? My 7-year old wants to know.
This work was sculpted by an artist named Carl E. Akeley and cast at the Kunst Foundry in New York. It's titled "The Old Man of Mikeno.""Mikeno" refers to Mt. Mikeno in the Congo region of Africa. Akeley traveled to Africa so that he could make images of African animals, like the gorilla, for institutions in the United States. In fact, the Akeley Hall of African Mammals at the American Museum of Natural History is named after him!Very cool!
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