My prior Art posts can be found HERE.
How do we move away from being a civilization that produces art that causes comments like, “my five year old could make this,” back to being one that creates beauty and inspires deep questions? We must reject modernity and embrace tradition. To embrace tradition, we must first learn about it..
Let’s study art history together.
Lafayette Monument (Baltimore, Maryland)
| Artist | Paul Wayland Bartlett’s (1865-1925) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1924 |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 490 cm × 240 cm × 490 cm (192 in × 96 in × 192 in) |
| Location | Baltimore, Maryland |
 39°17′49.92″N 76°36′56.3″W | |
| Owner | City of Baltimore |
One of the greatest honors a human being can receive from the art world is an equestrian statue. It is possible to have been a great man without receiving the honor of an equestrian statue, however, it is exceedingly difficult to become the subject of an equestrian statue without being a great man.
It’s useful, too. It is the inclination of our species to forget its history, over the long arc of time. Monuments – like the one to Lafayette – exist to help us remember. They also just look amazing when made well. I have no doubt that if Lafayette could see his statue, he’d be pleased. He looks heroic.
(more on the monument, via wiki)
The Lafayette Monument is a bronze equestrian statue of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, by Andrew O’Connor, Jr.
It is located on the northern edge of the South Park, at Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore, directly across a cobblestone circle from The Washington Monument. It was dedicated on September 6, 1924, with President Calvin Coolidge in attendance.
The inscription reads:
(Sculpture, front edge, proper left side:)
ANDREW O’CONNOR
1924
(Sculpture, rear proper left side:)
T. F. MCGANN & SONS CO FOUNDRY
BOSTON MASS
(Base, front:)LA FAYETTE
1757 1834(Base, east side:)
EN 1777 LA FAYETTE TRAVERSANT LES MERS
AVEC DES VOLONTIERS FRANCAIS
EST VENU APPORTER UNE AIDE FRATERNELLE
AU PEUPLE AMERICAIN
QUI COMBATTAIT POUR SA LIBERTE NATIONALE
EN 1917
LA FRANCE COMBATTAIT A SON TOUR
POURDEFENDRE
SAVIE
ET LA LIBERTE DU MONDE. L’AMERIQUE QUI
N’AVAIT JAMAIS OUBLIE LA FAYETTE A
TRAVERSE LES MERS POUR AIDER LA FRANCE
ET LE MONDE A ETE SAUVE
R. POINCARE(Base, west side:)
LA FAYETTE IMMORTAL
BECAUSE A SELF-FORGETFUL SERVANT OF
JUSTICE AND HUMANITY
BELOVED BY ALL AMERICANS
BECAUSE HE ACKNOWLEDGED NO DUTY MORE
SACRED THAN TO FIGHT FOR THE FREEDOM
OF HIS FELLOW-MEN.
WOODROW WILSON.
signed Founder’s mark appears.
Not too long ago, the statue celebrated its 100th anniversary.
