George Washington Equestrian Statue
George Washington is a 1900 outdoor bronze equestrian statue by the American sculptors Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter. It is located in the center of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. The statue of George Washington was sculpted by French, while the horse was created by Potter. It was dedicated on July 3, 1900, 125 years after General Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 3, 1775, during the American Revolutionary War. A gift from the women of America, the statue was presented to the city by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
1909 © Miller, Francis Trevelyan, 1877-1959 · No restrictions
July 2016 © Gary Todd · CC0
© Agence de presse Meurisse. Agence photographique (commanditaire) · Public domain
1915 © Bain News Service, publisher · Public domain
· Public domain
Identification | |
| Title | Equestrian statue of George Washington |
| Type | outdoor bronze equestrian statue |
| Subject | George Washington, first President of the United States |
| Alternative names | George Washington Monument; George Washington Memorial |
Historical context | |
| Purpose | To present a statue of Washington to France |
| Fundraising status | The association had raised the necessary funds |
| Intended deadline | Paris Exposition of 1900 |
| Commissioned inspiration | Charles L. Hutchinson was inspired to install a statue of Washington in the park after seeing the original at French's studio |
| Organization incorporated | 1897 |
| Organization involved | Association of American Women for the Presentation of a Statue of Washington to France |
| Dedication significance | 125 years after Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 3, 1775, during the American Revolutionary War |
| Dedication date | July 3, 1900 |
| Date of creation | 1900 |
Creator | |
| Artists | Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter |
| Sculptor | Daniel Chester French |
| Sculptor nationality | American |
| Horse sculptor | Edward Clark Potter |
| Pedestal designer | Charles F. McKim |
| Pedestal designer occupation | American architect |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Cast date | 1903 |
| Head model | Modeled after a life-cast by the French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon |
| Artist's studio | Chesterwood, Stockbridge, Massachusetts |
| Casting location | New York City |
| Casting foundry | Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company |
| Work began | Later in 1897 |
| Replica status | A replica of the statue |
| Commissioning patron | Charles L. Hutchinson |
| Gifted by | a committee of American women from high society |
| Presented to | the city |
| Presented by | the Daughters of the American Revolution |
| Gift description | A gift from the women of America |
| Funding role | He led the effort to fund the project |
Physical characteristics | |
| Pose | George Washington is mounted on a horse |
| Left hand position | Holds the reins of the horse |
| Right hand position | Holds a sabre raised in the air |
| Horse posture | The horse is mounted on a pedestal and raises its front right leg |
| Pedestal location | In the middle of Place d'Iéna, on an oval traffic island |
| Pedestal setting | Placed on an oval traffic island; cars circulate around it counterclockwise |
| Inscription location | On the side of the pedestal facing the Guimet Museum |
| Orientation | Facing the Place de l'Alma and aligned toward Avenue du Président-Wilson; back to the equestrian statue of Marshal Foch at Place du Trocadéro |
| Location | Central median of Place d'Iéna, Paris, France |
| Subject's attire | Full military uniform |
Materials | |
| Material | Bronze |
| Pedestal material | Milford granite and Knoxville marble |
Appearance | |
| Depicted figure | George Washington |
| Sculpture title | Equestrian statue of George Washington |
| Type | Equestrian statue |
| Subject mounted on horse | Washington |
| Raised object | A sabre is raised in his right hand |
| Depicted person | George Washington |
| Inscription language | French |
| Inscription | The fragment says the dedication can be read on the pedestal, but the text itself is not fully given |
Location and ownership | |
| City | Paris |
| Country | France |
| Nearby museum mentioned | Guimet Museum |
History and restoration | |
| Dedication date | June 4, 1904 |
| Dedication location | Entrance to Washington Park in Chicago |
| Inauguration date | Missing in the fragment; stated only as "the" |
Significance | |
| Associated image/caption | "Inauguration de la statue" (Bain News Service, Paris - at statue of Washington - Library of Congress.jpg); "Vue de profil" (Statue équestre Washington Paris 5 (cropped).jpg); "Inscription sur le socle" (Statue équestre de Washington inscription.jpg) |