Abraham Lincoln: The Man

Abraham Lincoln: The Man (also called Standing Lincoln) is a bronze statue in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Completed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1887, it has been described as the most important sculpture of Abraham Lincoln from the nineteenth century.[1] Abraham Lincoln II, Lincoln's only grandson, was present at the unveiling.[2] The artist also created the Seated Lincoln sculpture in Grant Park.

The sculpture depicts a contemplative Lincoln rising from a chair, about to give a speech. It is set upon a pedestal and exedra designed by architect Stanford White.[3] The monument was a favorite of Hull House founder Jane Addams, who once wrote, "I walked the wearisome way from Hull-House to Lincoln Park ... in order to look at and gain magnanimous counsel from the statue."[4] Journalist Andrew Ferguson discusses the statue at length in his book Land of Lincoln, writing that the statue presents "a sort of world-weariness that seems almost kind".[2] The City of Chicago awarded the monument landmark status on December 12, 2001.[1]

Replicas of this statue stand at Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield, Illinois, Parque Lincoln in Mexico City, and on Parliament Square in London, England.[5][6]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Abraham Lincoln Monument. City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division (2003). Retrieved on May 8, 2007
  2. ^ a b Andrew Ferguson. Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2007. 71-72
  3. ^ "Standing Lincoln." Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. Retrieved on August 15, 2007
  4. ^ "Influence of Lincoln". Twenty Years at Hull House. Retrieved on August 14, 2007
  5. ^ Lincoln's Tomb.
  6. ^ National Archives - United Kingdom, Statutue of Abraham Lincoln.