Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Unnever, John Gerhard

UNNEVER, John Gerhard, sculptor, b. in Copenhagen, Denmark, 16 July, 1822; d. in New York city, 12 Feb., 1893. He was a pupil of Thorwaldsen, under whose direction he produced many classical figures, including Apollo, Hebe, and Venus. When the gigantic figures of the Twelve Apostles were sent from Thorwaldsen's museum to the New York crystal palace in 1853 Mr. Unnever was selected as their custodian. He also received from the great sculptor the exclusive privilege of reproducing the figures and of using his models. Under this concession he opened a studio in New York, where he duplicated in plaster many of his master's greatest works. Mr. Unnever edited and illustrated two volumes on his friend Bertel Thorwaldsen's life and artistic work.