George Washington Monument - Philadelphia, PA
N 39° 56.943 W 075° 09.000
18S E 487186 N 4422113
Joseph Bailey's statue of George Washington (1869) lives on as a bronze replica in front of Independence Hall, Philadelphia (original marble now in Philadelphia City Hall).
Waymark Code: WMDTER
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2012
Views: 18
This sculpture is a bronze cast of the original marble made in 1869 by Joseph Bailly. The marble original (IAS 75009346) was formerly located in front of Independence Hall, but in 1908 it was moved inside City Hall to protect it from the weather, and this bronze cast was then made and installed in front of Independence Hall in its place. The sculpture cost $14,000. The monument committee was the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics.
The statue is located within the boundaries of the Independence National Historical Park/District and is a contributing structure. The original statue was sculpted by Joseph Bailey. Joseph Alexis Bailly (January 21, 1823 or 1825, Paris, France – June 15, 1883, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a French-born American sculptor who spent most of his career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He taught briefly at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, which has a collection of his sculpture. His most famous work is the statue of George Washington in front of Independence Hall. SOURCE
From the nomination form:
The George Washington Monument is a bronze statue mounted on a dressed white marble pedestal standing on the Chestnut Street sidewalk about 30 feet north of the front entrance to Independence Hall. This statue is a 1910 reproduction of the original marble statue sculpted in 1869 by Joseph Bailly.
The statue Is significant under theme ( I.) Founding and Growth of the United States. Replica completed by Samuel Murray of a 1869 Joseph Bailly marble sculpture, itself a replica of Jean Antoine Houdon portrait sculpture. Commemorates George Washington who served as Commander in Chief of the Army, President of the Constitutional Convention and first President of the United States. SOURCE
Short Physical Description
The base of the statue is 6 feet square; the pedestal is 3 feet and 7 feet high and the statue stands at 8 feet high. Washington is shown with his left hand on his sword and his right one on a book.
The dimensions of the sculpture are: Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. 6 in. x 31 in. x 31in.; Base: approx. 6 ft. 8 in. x 49 in. x 49 in. The statue is composed of: Sculpture: bronze: Base: marble and granite. The SIRIS site describes the statue as Standing portrait of George Washington dressed in a long coat with buttons down the right side, a long vest, and a ruffle-necked shirt. A short draped podium with a book on top is to his proper right. He rests his proper right hand on top of the book. His proper left hand rests at the top of a sword which he holds vertically at his side. The sculpture rests atop a square marble base on top of a low granite base. SOURCE