Existing comment:
George Washington Statue, 1841 -- The nation's first Washington monument:
In 1832, the US Congress commissioned American sculptor Horatio Greenough to create a monument to George Washington for the Capitol rotunda. Gleenough envisioned the work as a symbolic representation of Washington as a great exemplar of liberty. When he unveiled this twelve-ton marble statue atop a towering pedestal in 1841, many viewers appreciated the artist's attempt to create a timeless masterpiece. Others saw only an inappropriately dressed Washington. A friend of the artist noted: "This magnificent production of genius does not seem to be appreciated at its full value in this metropolis." |