The Whaleman Statue - New Bedford, MA
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Metro2
N 41° 38.109 W 070° 55.630
19T E 339484 N 4611062
This sculpture is located in front of the Public Library at 613 Pleasant St in New Bedford MA
Waymark Code: WMK70X
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2014
Views: 2
The Smithsoinian Inventory provides the following information and description of the work:
"Artist:
Pratt, Bela Lyon, 1867-1917, sculptor.
Smith, Nat C., architect.
Gorham Manufacturing Company, founder.
Title:
The Whaleman Statue, (sculpture).
Other Titles:
New Bedford Whaleman, (sculpture).
Dates:
Commissioned 1912. Cast 1913. Dedicated June 20, 1913.
Medium:
Sculpture: bronze; Base: granite.
Dimensions:
Sculpture: approx. 10 ft. x 5 ft. 8 in. x 8 in.; Base: approx. 11 ft. x 7 ft. 10 in. x 7 ft. 6 in.
Inscription:
The Gorham Co. Founder, Providence, RI. (On front proper right corner of boat:) B.L. Pratt 1912 (On front of stone background, lower right corner:) 'A Dead Whale or a Stove Boat' (On back of stone base:) IN HONOR OF THE WHALEMEN WHOSE/SKILL HARDIHOOD AND DARING BROUGHT/FAME AND FORTUNE TO NEW BEDFORD/AND MADE ITS NAME KNOWN IN EVERY/SEAPORT THE GLOBE/GIFT OF W.W. CRAPO/1913 (On round commemorative plaque on back, below inscription:) New Bedford Port/LUCEM DIFFUNDO signed Founder's mark appears.
Description:
Emerging from the base of a tall granite wall is a bronze sculpture of a muscular whaleman in a boat that cuts through ocean waves. The whaleman stands in the middle of the boat hoisting a harpoon over his proper right shoulder and aiming it down over the bow of the boat. A rope attached to the harpoon is tied around the bow of the boat. The sculpture rests on a square granite base at the foot of the granite wall. The wall is incised with imaged of seagulls and a line of text, "A dead whale or a stove boat," from Herman Melville's "Moby Dick."'
TITLE: The Whaleman Statue
ARTIST(S): Bela Lyon Pratt
DATE: 1913
MEDIUM: Sculpture: bronze; Base: granite.
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 77000659
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
in front of the Public Library at 613 Pleasant St in New Bedford MA
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
No differences noticed.
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