General Nathanael Greene - Philadelphia, PA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Math Teacher
N 39° 58.011 W 075° 10.974
18S E 484380 N 4424093
Bronze statue of General Greene can be found in the Garden of Heroes @ the west side of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible & emerged from the war with as Washington's most gifted & dependable officer.
Waymark Code: WMDTEC
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 3

The statue was sculpted in 1960 and installed in 1961 and sculpted by Louis Iselin (1913 - 1990). A parade of Revolutionary War veterans statues line the sides of a huge courtyard found to the rear of the west side of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There are three to the right and the same amount to the left. If your back is to the Museum, this statue is the middle statue on the left. Simply walk down the the stairs and stay to the left. The Fairmount Water Works will also be to the left. You have to check that out as well.

All the statues are made of bronze and look similar, both in composition, form, size and subject matter. This statue dimensions are approximately: Sculpture: approx. H. 9 ft. 3 in.; Base: approx. H. 7 ft. 1 in. and is of polished granite base with of course the bronze sculpture on top. There are multiple inscription featuring quotes from famous people about this Revolutionary War hero. The various inscriptions read:

GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE
1742-1786
WE FIGHT
GET BEAT
RISE
AND FIGHT AGAIN

HIS QUALIFICATIONS
FOR STATESMANSHIP
WERE NOT LESS REMARKABLE
THAN HIS MILITARY ABILITY
ALEXANDER HAMILTON

SECOND TO NO ONE
IN ENTERPRISE IN RESOURCE
AND EVERY OTHER MILITARY TALENT
THOMAS JEFFERSON

A RHODE ISLANDER
BUSINESSMAN TURNED SOLDIER
SERVED WITH GREAT DISTINCTION
AS QUARTER MASTER GENERAL
AND ARMY COMMANDER
A TRUSTED FRIEND OF GENERAL WASHINGTON

SIRIS describes the statue as a standing portrait of the tall and lean General Nathanael Greene dressed in his Revolutionary War uniform consisting of a long jacket with fringed epaulets, tall boots, and three-cornered hat. He holds his hat with both hands behind his back. His long hair is pulled back.

Nathanael Greene was a Quaker from Rhode Island who served in the battles of Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown during the Revolutionary War. At Valley Forge he was appointed quartermaster general. Later, he became known as "the man who saved the South" when he was able to drive the British back toward the coast of Charleston.

This piece was erected through the bequest of General William F. Reilly. The Reilly Trust was initially administered by First People's Bank, but as of the 1993 SOS! survey, Core States Bank was handling the Reilly Trust. This sculpture is one of several which comprises the William M. Reilly Memorial on the west side of the museum. The memorial honors Revolutionary War heroes. The SOS! survey cover sheet notes that current conservation of the piece is the responsibility of the Reilly Trust.

This area is one of the premier tourist attractions for Philadelphia and referenced several times in their official tourist site. Here is what they have to say:

In 1890 General William M. Reilly of the Pennsylvania National Guard bequeathed funds for a memorial to Revolutionary War heroes. Though it took decades to raise additional money, six sculptures were eventually installed northwest of the Art Museum.

Immortalized in bronze, the Marquis de Lafayette gestures flamboyantly as his cape billows around him. Another European volunteer, Major General Friedrich von Steuben, points steadfastly ahead. General Richard Montgomery, who died in the assault on Quebec, stands pensively with hat in hand. Maritime hero John Paul Jones is shown with his telescope, while General Casimir Pulaski poses fiercely with sword at the ready. Unusual for this group, the sculpture of General Nathanael Greene emphasizes nonmilitary aspects of the man’s character.

Marquis de Lafayette (c. 1947) by Raoul Josset Major
General Friedrich von Steuben (c. 1947) by Warren Wheelock
General Richard Montgomery (c. 1946) by J. Wallace Kelly
John Paul Jones (c. 1957) by Walker Hancock
General Casimir Pulaski (c. 1947) by Sidney Waugh
General Nathanael Greene (c. 1960) by Lewis Iselin Jr.
SOURCE

Type of Memorial: Statue

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