George Washington is a statue by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon from the late 18th century. Based on a life mask and other measurements of George Washington taken by Houdon, it is considered one of the most accurate depictions of the subject. The original sculpture is located in the rotunda of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia, and has been copied extensively, which is why it is here. The date given for the sculpture varies. It was commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly in 1784, begun in 1785, signed "1788", completed in 1791 or 1792, and delivered in 1796.
The statue depicts a standing life-sized Washington. In his right hand is on a cane, his left arm rests on a fasces on which is slung his cape and sword, and at the back is a plow. He is shown wearing his military uniform, as Washington wished to be depicted in contemporary attire, rather than that of antiquity popular in Neo-classical sculpture. With its selection of objects both civilian (the plow and cane) and military (the fasces, sword and uniform), the statue has been interpreted as invoking the imagery and ideal of an Ancient Roman dictator, Cincinnatus, with whom Washington has been compared in his decision to retire from public life following the Revolutionary War. SOURCE SIRIS lists the dimensins as: Sculpture: approx. 6 ft. 7 in. x 3 ft. 8 1/2 in. x 2 ft. 6 1/2 in.; Base: approx. 3 ft. 2 in. x 3 ft. 8 in. x 3 ft. 2 in.
I was able to find an article form 2010 about the statue when it was relocated within the military park. The George Young Company, which also moved the Liberty Bell a few years ago, rigged and transported the sculpture, pedestal, shaft and base to the new site. "The statue is one of only seven bronze copies cast from the original marble that stands in the rotunda of the Virginia capitol building. According to the park staff, the original was sculpted by French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon, who traveled to America and stayed with Washington at Mount Vernon for two weeks, taking detailed measurements of the general and casting a life mask that was the basis for the statue. Washington’s family believed that the final statue was the most realistic depiction ever made of the general."
"Americans of the early Federal era looked to ancient Rome and Greece as models of republican ideals. This statue includes both classical and also American symbols that would have been familiar to Americans of the time. George Washington is depicted as a modern Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer and general who left his farm to save the Roman Republic, and then voluntarily returned to his plow.
The Father of our Country wears his military uniform but carries a civilian walking cane rather than his sword, which has been set aside. He stands by a farmer’s plowshare, a symbol of his love of peace and agriculture. He rests his hand on a bundle of rods called a fasces, a Roman symbol of civil authority. Here, the thirteen rods represent the joining of the original states and the strength gained from that unity.
The granite pedestal on which the statue stands was designed in 1943 by prominent architect, Paul Philippe Cret." Although the sculpture was originally placed outdoors, it was later moved to the lobby of the park theater. That space was deemed too small for appreciation of the subject, and the piece has been relocated to a prominent site as part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the area around Washington’s Headquarters." SOURCE
From the National Park Service sire:
In 1931, Rev. Dr. W. Herbert Burk had obtained permission from the governor of Virginia to make a bronze cast of the famous statue of Washington by Jean Antoine Houdon in the state capitol at Richmond. Burk had hoped that President Hoover would dedicate it during his visit to Valley Forge that spring— another dream that never came true. This statue was still standing at the cathedral site (Burk hoped it would adorn the cathedral he planned for Valley Forge but that never happened) in the 1940s when the park commissioners considered acquiring their own statue of Washington for the park but doubted that funds could be secured for this purpose. Burk's statue apparently fell into park hands when the commissioners purchased a few acres of Washington Memorial land. It was placed at Huntington's Quarters, but in 1957 plans were made to move it to Washington's Headquarters, where it was mounted on a base and attractively landscaped and considered quite tasteful, until it was removed in the interests of historical accuracy. It is now in the park's Visitor Center.
SOURCE
The National Park Service placed an interpretive at this site to explain the statue:
left side of interpretive
American Icon
Americans of the Revolutionary era looked to ancient
Rome and Greece as models of republican ideals. This
statue, a bronze copy of the original marble which has
stood in the rotunda of the Virginia State capitol since
1796, includes both classical and also American symbols
that would have been familiar to Americans of the time.
George Washington is depicted as a modern Cincinnatus,
the Roman farmer and general who let his farm to save the
Roman Republic, and then voluntarily returned to his plow
To study his subject, French
sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon
traveled to America and stayed
at Mount Vernon for two weeks,
taking detailed measurements of
Washington and casting this life
mask. Washington's family believed
that the final statue was the most
realistic depiction ever made of him.
George Washington cast by Deville from
original life mask by Houdon, 1785.
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon
Ladies' Association.
right side of interpretive
Take a
Closer Look
The father of our Country
wears his military uniform
but carries a civilian walking
cane rather than his sword,
which had been set aside.
He stands by a farmer's
plowshare, a symbol of his love
of peace and agriculture. He
rests his hand on a bundle of
rods called a fasces, a Roman
symbol of civil authority. Here,
the thirteen rods represent the
joining of the original states
and the strength gained from
that unity.
George Washington (February 22, 1732 [O.S. February 11, 1731] – December 14, 1799) was the first President of the United States (1789–1797), the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation and established the position of President. SOURCE