The Spirit of Humanity

Robert Reid produced this drawing in response to the staggering human tragedy of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of April 18, 1906, a natural disaster that killed more than 3, 000 and leveled much of the city. A founding member of the Ten American Painters, Reid commonly created works that featured figurative allegories such as this personification of the Spirit of Humanity, portrayed here as a benevolent goddess cradling a sleeping infant while comforting a distraught mother. Reid's drawing was first exhibited in New York as part of an organized relief effort to benefit the survivors of the devastating earthquake and subsequent fires.