The Washington Monument, located at Eakin's Oval, is a permanent memorial to our nation's first President, George Washington. The artwork was originally dedicated and installed in 1897 at the Green Street entrance to Fairmount Park. In 1928, the monument was relocated to its current location. Thirteen steps lead up to the multi-tiered monument. The main focal point of the statue is Washington himself, depicted sitting on his horse. At the 4 corners of the platform are fountains, with reclining allegorical figures representing 4 rivers: the Delaware, Hudson, Potomac, and Mississippi. Each corner is marked by the placement of pairs of animal sculptures: moose, elk, buffalo, and bulls. The monument was a gift to the City of Philadelphia from the State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania. Above this in the second tier are the other sculptures, one of which concerns this waymark.
At the second tier is this complicated bronze sculpture made up of three principal parts. The central figure is a woman seated in an ornate chair. Her left hand holds a trident. Some type of hat with a garland of leaves is around her head. To either side of here are men, on the ground reaching up to her. To the left appears to be a man in anguish, his head bandaged, reaching up to the female figure trying to give her some kind of wreath as he clutches a flag close to his chest, awkwardly. To her left is a male figure of no particular interest looking up at her inquisitively. In his right hand he holds a period cap, hat or some suitable covering of the time. He also clutches a flag.
I was fortunate to find an actual book, on-line about the dedication and installation of this wonderful work of art. The website for the book is HERE. There are a few excerpts which specifically refer to this sculpture. There is no official name given for it, just a decent description.
At the front of the pedestal is an allegorical group representing America, seated, holding a trident and cornucopia. On either side is a figure, one holding a scroll, the other offering a wreath. Broken shackles show that they have thrown off their slavery and have gained their freedom. Below is an American Eagle supporting the arms of the United States.
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Every piece of this sculpture is made of bronze. The sculptor was Rudolf Siemering (1835-1905) and the monument was founded by Gegossen Lauchhammer. The monument is 44 feet high. The base is granite and all the critters and George are bronze. The monument was dedicated May 15, 1897 and relocated 1928. This piece was erected by the State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania. It was originally installed at the Green Street entrance to Fairmount Park, but when the Benjamin Franklin Parkway was finished in 1928, the monument was moved to its current site at the end of the parkway in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Officially, this part of town is known as Eakins Oval (west end).
The monument is located at the very bottom of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and can be easily seen from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Placed on a piece of real estate called Eakins Oval, it is the centerpiece of the oval. There is a huge parking lot to the rear of this where you can stow your car while you wonder around the area and look at all the other fantastic sculptures and monuments. Parking is $12.
Although the traffic patterns have changed dramatically over the last century, this amazing monument is still a very popular roadside attraction for tourists and still for locals. The monument is located at the southwest entrance to the Art Museum.
The monument was donated to the City of Philadelphia by the State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania, a group of descendants of Revolutionary War officers. Restoration of this astoundingly complex and detailed monument was completed in June of 1997.