Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch: (Lincoln on Billy), (sculpture).

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch: (Lincoln on Billy), (sculpture).

Eakins, Thomas, 1844-1916, sculptor.

O'Donovan, William Rudolf, 1844-1920, sculptor.

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch: (Lincoln on Billy), (sculpture).

(Lincoln on Billy), (sculpture).

1893-1894. Installed 1895.

Digital Reference:

Installed on one of the walls flanking the interior of the triumphal arch is a relief featuring an equestrian portrait of Lincoln in profile looking off to his proper right. In his proper right hand he holds his hat out at his side.

Portrait male -- Lincoln, Abraham -- Full length

Occupation -- Political -- President

Occupation -- Law -- Lawyer

Animal -- Portrait -- Billy

Outdoor Sculpture -- New York -- Brooklyn

Administered by City of New York, Department of Parks and Recreation, The Arsenal - Central Park, New York, New York 10021

Located Prospect Park, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, New York

John Hemingway Duncan won the one thousand dollar prize for the design of the memorial arch (IAS 76003581). Engineer, Bernard Gallagher received the contract to build the arch. Philip Martiny created the spandrel relief figures. Construction began in August of 1889 and the cornerstone was laid by General William Tecumseh Sherman on October 30, 1889. The memorial arch, dedicated to the men who fought in the Union forces during the Civil War, was first proposed by Seth Low while he was mayor of Brooklyn (1882-1885), but serious attention was not given to the project until Alfred C. Chapin was mayor (1888-1891). It was then that veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic sought subscriptions for the construction of the arch. The State Legislature issued bonds to assist with the cost of the construction and later appropriated 250,000 dollars toward construction costs.

Leading sculptors of the day were commissioned by Brooklyn's Park Commission to decorate the arch. Frederick William MacMonnies, a native of Brooklyn, created both bronze figure groups of soldiers (Navy -IAS 76002867 and Army -IAS 76002933) installed on the south side of the pedestals in 1901. He also created the triumphal quadriga of Victory (IAS 76007356) installed on top of the arch in 1898, and the plaza's four columns and eagles (NY000081). Thomas Eakins worked with William O'Donovan to create relief panels of Grant (IAS 76009712) and Lincoln (IAS 76009711) which were added to the inside walls of the arch in 1895. Eakins designed the horses on which O'Donovan's figures are mounted.

Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985

Lederer, Joseph, "All Around the Town: A Walking Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in New York City," New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975, pg. 213.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, New York, New York survey, 1994.

SOS Assessment Award, 1997.

SOS Achievement Award, 2000.

For study see: 75003087.

Component of: 76003581.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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