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Grafly, Charles,
Simon, Grant,
Simon, Edward P.,
Piccirilli Brothers Marble Carving Studios,
Simon and Simon,
George A. Fuller Company,
Portrait male -- Meade, George Gordon
Occupation -- Military
Dress -- Uniform
Figure group
Allegory -- Civic
Allegory -- Quality
Allegory -- Quality
Allegory -- Other
Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington
Sculpture
Meade Memorial, (sculpture).
Artist:
Grafly, Charles, 1862-1929, sculptor.
Simon, Grant, architect.
Simon, Edward P., architect.
Piccirilli Brothers Marble Carving Studios, carver.
Simon and Simon, architectural firm.
George A. Fuller Company, contractor.
Title:
Meade Memorial, (sculpture).
Other Titles:
Major-General George G. Meade, (sculpture).
Dates:
Commissioned 1913. 1920-1925. Dedicated October 19, 1927. Relocated 1969. Reinstalled 1983. Rededicated Oct. 3, 1984.
Digital Reference:
Medium:
Sculpture: Tennessee marble and granite; Platform: Milford pink granite.
Dimensions:
Sculpture: approx. H. 10 ft. 6 in. Diam. 9 ft.; Base: approx. H. 7 ft. 4 in. Diam. 20 ft. 10 in.
Inscription:
CHARLES GRAFLY.SC./.MCMXX-MCMXXV / EXECUTED BY PICCIRILLI BROS. (On back of base:) EDWARD P. SIMON/GRANT M. SIMON/ARCHITECTS (Lower front of base:) meade (Brass letters set into granite platform on which base rests:) THE COMMONWEALTH/OF PENNSYLVANIA/TO MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE GORDON MEADE/WHO COMMANDED/THE UNION FORCES/AT GETTYSBURG signed Founder's mark appears.
Description:
Cylindrical sculpture with the figure of General George Meade on one side and the winged figure of War on the opposite side of a circle, which is formed with six allegorical figures standing side by side. The allegorical figures represent Loyalty, Chivalry, Fame, Progress, Military Courage, and Energy, qualities the artist believed were necessary for the character of a great general. The male figure of Loyalty, on Meade's proper right, and the female figure of Chivalry, on his proper left, remove the general's military cloak, symbolic of the "cloak of battle" that the general leaves behind. Over the general's head, Loyalty holds up a wreath and garlands, symbolic of the general's accomplishments. On the general's proper right, behind the figure of Loyalty, is the female figure of Fame in the middle position supported by the male figure of Energy. On the general's proper left, behind the figure of Chivalry, is the male figure of Progress in the middle position, and behind him is the male figure of Military Courage locking arms with the male figure of War at the center rear position. The winged figure of War is flanked by two memorial tablets. General Meade is represented as the embodiment of all six allegorical qualities as he emerges from his cloak of battle and progresses into his future. At the top of the monument is a gold finial with the state seal of Pennsylvania.
Subject:
Portrait male -- Meade, George Gordon -- Full length
Occupation -- Military -- Major General
Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform
Figure group
Allegory -- Civic -- War
Allegory -- Quality -- Virtue
Allegory -- Quality -- Fortitude
Allegory -- Other -- Progress
Object Type:
Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington
Sculpture
Owner:
Administered by United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, District of Columbia
Located 3rd Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia
Remarks:
General Meade was a native of Pennsylvania who commanded the Union forces at Gettysburg the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. This sculpture was commissioned by residents of the state of Pennsylvania on October 18, 1913. The sculpture was authorized by an act of Congress on January 21, 1915, but ground breaking did not take place until March 28, 1922 after the design of the memorial was approved by the Washington Fine Arts Commission and the State of Pennsylvania. The cost was 85,000 dollars. The sculpture was originally installed on Union Square at 3rd Street, N.W, but was moved to National Park Service storage in 1969 during construction of the reflecting pool atop the I-395 freeway tunnel. It remained in storage until 1983 when it was installed at Pennsylvania Avenue and 3rd Street.
IAS files contain an excerpt from Jannelle Warren-Findley's Aug. 1, 1985 report for the National Park Service entitled, "A Guide to Selected Statues, Monuments and Memorials," National Capital Parks - Central, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. (RFQ 3-4-1919) which includes a brief maintenance history, a list of bibliographic sources, and notes to additional information found in National Park Service files. IAS files also contain related articles from the Washington Post, Oct. 21, 1923; the Sunday Star (District of Columbia), Oct. 23, 1927; the Washington Post, Aug. 17, 1983 and Sept. 21, 1983; and American Magazine of Art (April 1927): pg. 195-198.
References:
Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985
Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1993.
Michael Richman, SAAM curatorial assistant, 1967-1969.
Illustration:
Image on file.
Washington Post, Oct. 21, 1923.
Note:
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.
Repository:
Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Control Number:
IAS 77002878
Copy/Holding information
Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum
Control Number
Inventory of American Sculpture
77002878
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