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friends OF THE SAINT-GAUDENS MEMORIAL CORNISH I NEW HAMPSHIRE I SUMMER 2008 IN THIS ISSUE THE The Standing Lincoln I 1 STANDING The Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s Birth I 4 LINCOLN What’s Going On With the Sherman ? I 6 The Standing Lincoln Summer Concerts, Exhibits & Workshops I 7 Sculptural Visions I 8 in Chicago is one of two statues of President Lincoln completed by Saint-Gaudens and one of a multitude of such public monuments around the country. Summers with Lincoln: FROM THE MEMORIAL Looking for the Man in the AND THE SITE Monuments, by teacher and DEAR FRIENDS, author James Percoco, looks at seven of the best of these, As we approach the bicentennial including the Standing Lincoln, of Abraham Lincoln’s birth in Augustus Saint-Gaudens stands next to the full-scale clay version of his for clues about how Lincoln 2009, we join others around the homage to Abraham Lincoln. ca. 188 5-86. (SGNHS Archival Photo) has been perceived and country in celebrating the life portrayed over the years. It does not seem like bronze; there is of one of America’s most The following is adapted from an something human, or — shall I say? interview of Mr. Percoco by Sam Weller, respected and beloved leaders. —superhuman about it. One stands aired on Chicago Public Radio. And we at the Memorial and the Site before it and feels himself in the very particularly celebrate the great work done presence of America’s soul.* SW: There are around 200 different sculp - tures of Abraham Lincoln tucked away on by Augustus Saint-Gaudens to memorial - In this issue, teacher and author James street corners and town squares through - ize our 12th President. Percoco discusses some aspects of the out America. History teacher James Standing Lincoln ; and there is information Recollections from Saint-Gaudens’ early Percoco spent four summers tracking about upcoming events related to the years in New York — of Union troops down those statues to find out what they Lincoln bicentennial at the Saint-Gaudens massing and marching, and Lincoln him - said about the American icon. Summers Site and other NPS parks. We invite you self, both as President-elect and laying in with Lincoln chronicles his journey and to join us at the Site this season (and state — undoubtedly enriched this work, shares the seven that he believes have the next), to celebrate Lincoln, the legacy of as did reading of Lincoln’s speeches and richest and deepest impact on Lincoln’s Saint-Gaudens, and the work of contem - other writings. The Standing Lincoln not legacy. Percoco joined me recently from porary artists – sculptors, photographers, only portrays a physical likeness, but also Washington, D.C. He says his curiosity for authors and musicians – that enriches our embodies the character of the man in the monuments started with his mother. context of his times. Sculptor Laredo Taft lives today. said, a few years after its unveiling, JP: I used to ask as a two-year-old for her to take me in the stroller down to see the “monoment,” which was a Spanish- * Burke Wilkinson, The Life and Work PBRyEroSnIDBENelT l SBUJPDEuRnINn TENDENT of Augustus Saint-Gaudens (Dover, 1985) SG Memorial SGNHS American war memorial in the town's park. friends OF THE SAINT-GAUDENS MEMORIAL 2 a biographer gets hundreds of pages but a sculptor gets one shot to make the mark. I think that Ward understood that and I think he was willing to let other people pick up the baton, so to speak, people like Saint-Gaudens, people like Daniel Chester French, to move in the direction of Lincoln monuments. SW: Let’s talk a little about the 1887 work Standing Lincoln by the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The statue stands in Lincoln Park right on the shore - line of Lake Michigan. It’s been called one of the artist's greatest achievements. What is it about this particular statue that...you The dedication of the bronze sculpture Lincoln: The Man (commonly called the Standing Lincoln ) in Chicago, put it in the top three...that makes it such October 22, 1887. (SGNHS Archival Photo) an important part of the Lincoln history? So I think there's been this innate, inner politicians and British statesmen who thing that I’ve had ever since I was a kid. absolutely adore Lincoln. The Chinese revere Lincoln and I think they revere SW: Before we delve into the specifics of Lincoln primarily because he embodied your book, I’m curious what is it about two Confucian values: number one, har - Lincoln that particularly fascinates you and mony and the other one is unity, and he what is it about Lincoln that has fascinated did that by keeping the country together our collective imaginations for so long? during the Civil War. JP: Well, I think a lot of us really try to SW: In your book you say that the dean identify — those of us who think about of 19th century American sculpture, John Lincoln and think about history — try to Quincy Adams Ward claimed that trying to identify with the things about his life that capture the essence of Lincoln was too we find ultimately redeeming: his compas - daunting...why is that? sion, his sense of humanity, his even- handedness, the fact that Lincoln was the JP: I think Ward understood that Lincoln smartest man in the room and everybody as a man was really hard to pin down…not in the room knew it, and he knew it, but he only because of his physical features, really didn’t act on it in a way that would which were difficult to sculpt primarily be somewhat aggrandizing. I think the fact because of his large legs and his large that he's a man who had very, very little arms. I think that’s part of it. I also think it formal education and became President of has to do with the fact that the country the United Sates and led the country was still reeling from the Civil War and cer - through its greatest crisis, draws people tainly as we moved, in the late 19th centu - young and old. And Lincoln is not just an ry, to honor Civil War heroes, Lincoln was American anymore, he really belongs to going to be one of them but he's at the Two early studies for the Standing Lincoln ca. 1885. the International stage. You can read that apex, and how do you capture this in (Photo by D.C.Ward) in writings of people from Tolstoy to British bronze or stone? A sculptor gets one shot; friends OF THE SAINT-GAUDENS MEMORIAL 3 The Standing Lincoln touches the soul of America and what it means to be American. LAREDO TAFT convinced Lincoln to come to his studio at a time that would be propitious for Lincoln, JP: Well l think, number one, in a way when he was in Chicago dealing with legal that statue brings a shift in Lincoln memo - cases. And Volk lays him back in his chair ry. Prior to that statue, Lincoln statues that and he proceeds to cover his face with had been created in the United States plaster. He puts two reeds up Lincoln’s from the late 1860’s up through 1887 nostrils and puts grease and a little bit of almost invariably showed Abraham Lincoln clay on his forehead and on his eyebrows, in the motif of great emancipator. That and Lincoln has to sit with this hot wet changes with the Saint-Gaudens statute plaster on his face for at least an hour. Life Mask of Abraham Lincoln. Leonard Wells Volk, where we begin to look at Lincoln as a And it’s a very, very difficult, uncomfort - (1828 -1895); cast by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, (1848 - 1907) American, 1860; this cast, 1886, Bronze L. 8 in. (20.3 cm) great statesman. Artistically, though, the able, process. And after an hour they pop it off and then you have a negative mold. Purchase, Jonathan L. Cohen and Allison B. Morrow Saint-Gaudens statue is sublime, I mean Gift and Friends of the American Wing Fund, 2007. it really is. There you see Lincoln in the act Then what Volk does is he makes a posi - (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY) of getting ready to speak, and when you tive out of that negative mold. Several days later Lincoln goes back to the studio stand, particularly at a distance, you really torn apart. So I think anybody looking at and Volk reports that when Lincoln saw get that sense that you are watching sculpture, really needs to look, particularly the positive Lincoln said, “There‘s the Lincoln in a really pivotal moment. at Lincoln, at the face and at the hands animal himself.” Now, whether that moment is Lincoln and trace where the sculptor got the ideas delivering the Gettysburg address or the Several months later, shortly after Lincoln for that because they clearly come from, second inaugural, that’s subject to debate, gets the nod for the Presidency in 1860, as Lincoln said, “the animal himself.” Volk goes to Springfield, lllinois and in but it gets, I think, to what Laredo Taft also Mr. Percoco adds: For the last two Lincoln's house on 8th and Jackson says of Lincoln statues, that that statue decades I have enjoyed an exceptional Street he casts Lincoln’s hands. And you touches the soul of America and what it working relationship with the staff at Saint- can actually see in the cast that the right means to be American.