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Equestrian Statue of Simón Bolívar

The Equestrian Statue of Simón Bolívar is a public artwork by American artist Felix de Weldon. It depicts Venezuelan military and political leader Simón Bolívar mounted on horseback, with his right arm raised overhead holding a sword. Bolívar wears a detailed military uniform, including a gold medal once awarded to him in 1825 by George Washington Parke Custis in recognition of his struggle for independence. The sculpture stands on a granite or marble base and measures 142 cm × 72 cm × 184 cm, weighing 8 tons. It is located on Virginia Avenue, NW 18th Street, and C Street NW, near the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Pan American Union building of the Organization of American States.

Simón Bolívar equestrian statue of a man in military uniform raising a sword while mounted on a rearing horse.
The Simón Bolívar Equestrian Statue stands on a pedestal outdoors near classical-style buildings and bare trees.
© · Public domain
Simón Bolívar equestrian statue on a tall pedestal, with Bolívar raising a sword on a rearing horse.
The Simón Bolívar Equestrian Statue stands on a tall pedestal amid trees and landscaping.
May 2018 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Simón Bolívar equestrian statue with Bolívar raising a sword on horseback atop a tall pedestal.
The Simón Bolívar equestrian statue stands in a landscaped park setting with trees and buildings in the background.
© NPS Photo · Public domain
Lower section of the Simón Bolívar equestrian statue on a dark stone pedestal with gold inscriptions, framed by trees and a cloudy blue sky.
The pedestal of the Simón Bolívar Equestrian Statue, with gold inscriptions visible below the horse.
© NPS Photo · Public domain
Simón Bolívar equestrian statue partly obscured by falling snow, with the Washington Monument in the background.
The Simón Bolívar equestrian statue stands in a snowy scene with the Washington Monument visible in the distance.
© Victoria Stauffenberg · Public domain

Identification

TitleEquestrian statue of Simón Bolívar
TypeEquestrian bronze statue and monument
Alternative titleEquestrian monument of Simón Bolívar; Equestrian of Simón Bolívar
Original-language titleEstatua ecuestre de Simón Bolívar; Кінна статуя Сімона Болівара

Historical context

Military campaignJoined forces with Francisco Santander and others by 1818; crossed the Andes; won the Battle of Várz on 25 July 1819 and later battles including Boyacá, Carabobo, Pichincha, Junín, and Ayacucho
Military careerParticipated in more than 200 battles in the war of independence
Life summaryBorn in Caracas in 1783, studied in Madrid, married in 1802, traveled in Europe and the United States, returned to his homeland in 1807, and died in Santa Marta in 1830
BurialHeart in Colombia; body in Venezuela
ContextAfter Napoleon's invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in 1808, South American revolutionaries began declaring independence from Spain, leading to war
Date1959

Creator

ArtistFélix de Weldon
Artist nationalityAmerican
Pedestal architectLuis Malaussena

Discovery and provenance

Unveiled byU.S. President Dwight Eisenhower
Survey year1993
Surveyed bySmithsonian Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey
Planned unveilingOriginally planned for 22 May 1958 with Vice President Richard Nixon; delayed by the January 1958 uprising in Venezuela
TransportMoved to Washington by highway; the neck, head, and rider figure were detached for transport
Unveiling date27 February 1959
Installation dateDecember 1957
Casting time10 weeks
Site allocated1957
Federal land grant date29 June 1955
Paid for byGovernment of Venezuela
DonorGovernment of Venezuela
Authorized byAct of the U.S. Congress dated 5 July 1949
FoundryBedi-Rassy Art Foundry, Brooklyn, New York

Location and ownership

Other statues in seriesFour
SiteTriangular plot of land on Virginia Avenue with a park around it
LocationBolívar Park, on Virginia Avenue near 18th Street NW and C Street NW, Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C., United States, near the headquarters of the Organization of American States and the U.S. Department of the Interior
Current settingCenter of a stone plaza with landscaped pedestrian paths and a pool with six jet fountains
SeriesStatues of the Liberators

Physical characteristics

Base materialBrazilian black granite and Swedish black marble
Base formRectangular pedestal
Total height36 feet
Statue height24 feet
Pedestal height12 feet
Weight8 tons
Base dimensions142 cm × 72 cm × 184 cm
MaterialBronze

Appearance

Fountain symbolismThe six jet fountains represent the nations liberated by Bolívar
ClothingMilitary uniform with elaborate detail
Medal depictedA gold medallion with a lock of George Washington's hair
Attribute heldA sword raised upward in his right hand
PoseMounted on a horse with his right arm raised
Depicted figureSimón Bolívar

Iconography and meaning

Subject significanceSimón Bolívar, Venezuelan military leader and founder of new states, known as the "Liberator" and the "George Washington and Abraham Lincoln of South America"
Historical significance of depicted personLiberator of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Panama, and Peru
Office heldPresident of Gran Colombia
Inscription textSIMÓN BOLÍVAR / LIBERATOR / BORN 24 JULY 1783 / CARACAS VENEZUELA / DIED 17 DECEMBER 1830 / SANTA MARTA COLOMBIA; REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; LIBERATED VENEZUELA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU BOLIVIA AND PANAMA
Eisenhower descriptionDescribed the monument as a symbol of the will of the United States and Venezuela to live and work together

Significance

Current significanceLargest equestrian monument to Bolívar in the Western Hemisphere