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Harold Holzer
Monument Man: The Life and Art of Daniel Chester French
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About This Book
Monument Man: The Life and Art of Daniel Chester French
Monument Man: The Life and Art of Daniel Chester French
Harold Holzer
$35.00
Air Date/Time March 21 3:30pm CST
1st ed., 268 pages, hardcover, Princeton Architectural Press
The artist who created the statue for the Lincoln Memorial, John Harvard in Harvard Yard, and The Minute Man in Concord, Massachusetts, Daniel Chester French (1850–1931) is America’s best-known sculptor of public monuments Monument Man is the first comprehensive biography of this fascinating figure and his illustrious career. Full...[+] READ MORE
Monuments represent important people and places in history shaped by their unique time, context and forces. That history however, is irresistibly filtered through the political and social views of the present. Students of history know the fallacy of judging the past by only the present.
As a historian whose goal is to uncover and understand the past, do you challenge those who insist on destroying our monuments, and in effect our history, for purposes transitory political movements?
Thank you, Mr. Weinberg and Mr. Holzer. Mr. French’s road to his masterpiece is so interesting and full of irony, especially dedication day. How do you think President Lincoln would have responded to the injustices of that day? When I am at the Lincoln Memorial, I imagine him next to me. On May 30, 1922, I imagine him sitting with the African American coalition. I also picture an overwhelmed Abraham Lincoln standing next to Mr. Bacon and Mr. French in your cover photo. I do think he would have loved and been most comfortable with the tribute to his words. What do you think?
The process of figuring out what size the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial bothered French for years. In your book you speak of the full size plaster head used by French to hang in the memorial and the 7 foot model that were both sent from DC “back to the carvers”. Are the carvers the Piccirilli brothers? You also speak of a temporary model that Robert Lincoln went to see in DC. Do you have any more information about the temporary model? I believe it was made at Chesterwood in plasticine by 4 assistants (I had their names but lost the link) cut in 8 pieces and covered with a building material called “staff”.
Historically the Lincoln Monument is one of the most recognized statues in the world. I think it’s important to tell the full story of how French and Bacon decided the size and lighting problems. From solar prints to enlarged photos on boards 12 feet high that could be moved inside the incomplete building, to a temporary model, to working on drawings in front of both artists with paper statues, to creating a plaster 5 foot head to hang…I’d love to know what knowledge you have on this.
Thank you Harold Holzer. Your book is fascinating. In the designing of French’s statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial you speak of the issues French and Bacon had about the size of the statue. Can you explain any more of the temporary model set up in DC that Todd Lincoln went to see? I understand that the process of figuring out the size was impressive. Solar prints, temporary statue, photographs on 2×4’s 12-18 feet high, full size plaster head created by French to hang in the still under construction Monument…am I missing anything?
Please discuss Mary Lincoln’s relationship with French.
Harold,
You are universally considered one of the leading Lincoln scholars now writing.
How did you choose Daniel Chester French as the topic of your latest book?
What is your next project?
Iasked a question about Mary Lincoln, I should have said Robert Lincoln – did they interact at all?
Congratulations on writing such a wonderful book. I thought you mentioned that you did not catalog his 83 sculptors. Are they cataloged with locations of the sculptors that you can recommend?
Thank-you.
Is there a sculpture by French that in your opinion just fell flat; then and/or now.
Looking forward to reading the book.
Steve