Edward Virginius Valentine was born on November 12, 1838, in
Richmond, Virginia, to Elizabeth (née Mosby) and Mann Satterwhite Valentine. In 1853, he attended the
Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City where he saw
August Kiss's
Amazon Attacked by a Panther sculpture exhibited. The sculpture influenced Valentine to pursue a career in drawing and modeling. At the age of 18, he attended the
Medical College of Virginia and he took anatomical studies and drew from plaster casts. In September 1859, he sailed to Europe. He received a
Doctor of Laws from
Washington and Lee University. ==Career==