One of America's first professional female sculptors, Harriet
Hosmer met Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning in Rome in
1853. The Brownings, both well-known English poets, had eloped
to Italy seven years earlier. Shortly after meeting the couple,
Hosmer approached them about modeling their hands. Mrs. Browning
consented to the sculptor's idea on the condition that Hosmer do
the casting herself. Hosmer later explained that these hands
were left exactly as they came from the mold because she wanted
to preserve the textural quality of the work. The identity of
each clasped hand is discernible by the differences in size as
well as the treatment of the cuff at each wrist.