| Artist | Anne Whitney |
|---|---|
| Year | 1887 |
| Type | Public Art, Sculpture (bronze, red sandstone) |
| Dimensions | 240 cm (96 in) |
| Location | Milwaukee |
Leif, the Discoverer is a bronze sculpture of Leif Ericson created by American sculptor Anne Whitney in 1887. It is located at Juneau Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The United States of America.
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The figure is approximately 8 feet tall; the upper base is approximately 110 x 84 x 84 inches; the lower base is approximately 12 x 9 x 96 inches. The sculpture is bronze; the base is red sandstone.[1]
Shading his eyes to scan the distance, Leif Ericson stands on a large red sandstone pedestal. Unlike other depictions of Ericson, here he is youthful and clean-shaven. He wears a scale armor shirt, ornamented with breast plates and a studded belt. Underneath, he wears a tunic and leggings with leather sandals. He carries a powder horn over his shoulder and a knife in a decorative sheath at his side. On the sandstone base, the inscription reads, Leif, the discoverer/ son of Erik/ who sailed from Iceland/ and landed on this continent/ A.D. 1000. In runic letters, it also reads, Leif, son of Erik the Red.[1]
The original statue resides in Boston, Massachusetts on Commonwealth Avenue. In November of 1887, the Milwaukee replica was erected; however, at the request of its donor, Mrs. Joseph Gilbert, there was no dedication ceremony. On 26 April 2003, the Sons of Norway Fosselyngen Lodge held a ceremony to celebrate the recent addition of the statue’s lighting, which cost $3,800. The funds were bequested by the late lodge member, Duane Olson. The addition was a joint effort between the Sons of Norway Fosselyngen Lodge, Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee.[2] Prior to this, there had been evidence of structural instability, through cracks, erosion, and the deterioration of caulking in a pedestal.[1]
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