Emma Stebbins (1 September 1815 – 25 October 1882) was an American sculptor and the first woman to receive a public art commission from New York City.

[4] Hosmer introduced Stebbins to some of her future teachers including John Gibson and Paul Akers.

The pair quickly became a couple and within a year of meeting, the women exchanged unofficial vows and considered themselves married.

[1][5] Stebbins was a neoclassical sculptor and made about two dozen small-scale marble statues and two public works in bronze.

[4] In 1847, Stebbins’ submitted oil copies to be displayed at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

[4] In the 1860s, Stebbins completed The Treaty of Henry Hudson with the Indians (1860), Sandalphon (1861), Satan (1862), and Christopher Columbus (1867).

Cushman, a native to Boston, had a special interest in the project and is thought to have used her connections to get Stebbins the commission.

Rumors of nepotism surrounded the project because Stebbins’ brother was the chairman of Central Park's Committee on Statuary, Fountains and Architectural Structure.

[1] In June 2019, The New York Times wrote an obituary for Stebbins as part of their Overlooked series.

In June 2023 Bordighera Press published the English edition: "Emma and the Angel of Central Park."