Equestrian Statue of George Washington
Equestrian Statue of George Washington is an outdoor statue by Scottish-American sculptor J. Massey Rhind, located in Washington Park in Newark, New Jersey. It depicts General George Washington bidding farewell to the Continental Army on November 2, 1783, with Washington standing beside his horse rather than mounted on it. The work was commissioned with funding from the bequest of Amos H. Van Horn, a Newark furniture store owner. It was cast in 1912 by Roman Bronze Works of New York City and dedicated on November 2, 1912, the anniversary of the event it represents. President William H. Taft had been scheduled to speak at the dedication but instead attended Vice President James S. Sherman’s funeral.
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Identification | |
| Title | Equestrian statue of George Washington |
| Type | Outdoor equestrian statue |
Historical context | |
| Dedication date | November 2, 1912 |
| Dedication significance | Anniversary of the event depicted |
Creator | |
| Sculptor lifespan | 1860–1936 |
| Sculptor workshop location | New York City |
| Sculptor known for | The classical caryatids at Macy's Department Store on 34th Street |
| Sculptor birthplace | Edinburgh |
| Sculptor nationality | Scottish-American |
| Sculptor | J. Massey Rhind |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Commissioned by | Christian William Feigenspan |
| Funding source | Bequest of Amos H. Van Horn (1840–1908), owner of one of Newark's largest furniture stores |
| Design proposal | A distinctive equestrian statue showing General Washington bidding farewell to the troops while standing beside, rather than mounted on, his horse |
| How the design affected the commission | The proposal helped secure the commission |
| Casting foundry | Roman Bronze Works of New York City |
| Casting year | 1912 |
| Related work cast by same foundry | Rhind's sculptures for the Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial in Washington, D.C. |
Physical characteristics | |
| Length | Approximately long |
| Width | Approximately wide |
| Height | Approximately high |
| Material | Bronze |
| Base material | Stone |
Appearance | |
| Pose | Washington is shown dismounted from his horse |
| Clothing | Military uniform with a riding cape over one shoulder |
| Horse depiction | The horse is shown with one hoof raised and its head lowered |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Depicted location | Rocky Hill, New Jersey |
| Historical context | The event took place after word of the peace treaty ending the American Revolutionary War had arrived from Paris |
| Depicted date | November 2, 1783 |
| Depicted event | Washington bidding farewell to the troops of the Continental Army |
| Subject | General George Washington |
Location and ownership | |
| Current location | Harriet Tubman Square, Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Original installation location | Washington Park, Newark |
History and restoration | |
| Planned dedication speaker | President William H. Taft |
| Reason planned speaker did not speak | He had to attend the funeral of Vice President James S. Sherman, who died on October 30, 1912, three days before the dedication |
| Dedication location | Newark's Clinton Park (now Lincoln Park) |
| Dedication date | July 28, 1916 |
Significance | |
| National Register of Historic Places status | Added as a contributing property of the James Street Commons Historic District |
| National Register listing date | January 9, 1978 |
Other | |
| Surveyed by | Save Outdoor Sculpture program of the Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| Survey year | 1995 |