The ''Henry Ward Beecher Monument'', a statue of

Henry Ward Beecher Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, his emphasis on God's love, and his 1875 adultery trial. His r ...

created by the sculptor

John Quincy Adams Ward John Quincy Adams Ward (June 29, 1830 – May 1, 1910) was an American sculptor, whose most familiar work is his larger than life-size standing statue of George Washington on the steps of Federal Hall National Memorial in New York City. Early ye ...

, was unveiled on June 24, 1891, in Borough Hall Park,

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

and was later relocated to

Cadman Plaza Cadman Plaza is a park located on the border of the Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York City. Named for Reverend Doctor Samuel Parkes Cadman (1864–1936), a renowned minister in the Brooklyn Congregation ...

, Brooklyn in 1959.

Background

Henry Ward Beecher was a 19th-century

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

theologian, preacher, and orator. After making a

death mask A death mask is a likeness (typically in wax or plaster cast) of a person's face after their death, usually made by taking a cast or impression from the corpse. Death masks may be mementos of the dead, or be used for creation of portraits. It ...

of Beecher, Ward was contracted to execute the Beecher monument on April 6, 1888, for by the Beecher Statue Fund to "design, model, execute and complete in fine bronze a statue...eight feet in height." To create the monument, Ward worked from the death mask in addition to photographs. The figures of the children below the base of the monument symbolize the role Beecher played in the abolitionist movement and his devotion to children. According to the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

catalog by Lewis I. Sharp, the statue was widely acclaimed as one of the finest public monuments in the country. There was criticism from Beecher's family and friends regarding the accuracy of the subject's likeness.

Description

The monument features a bronze figural group by

and Barre granite base designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. The statues depict Beecher, in subordinate positions are a Black female figure, to the left of the base, and, rightward, two Caucasian children (a boy and girl). The monument was cast on May 10, 1890, and dedicated on June 24, 1891. It was conserved via the Adopt-a-Monument Program in 1987.

References

{{Public art in Brooklyn 1890 sculptures 1891 establishments in New York (state) Bronze sculptures in Brooklyn Granite sculptures in New York City Monuments and memorials in Brooklyn Outdoor sculptures in Brooklyn Sculptures by John Quincy Adams Ward Sculptures of children in the United States Sculptures of men in New York City Sculptures of women in New York City Statues in New York City Downtown Brooklyn

Background

Description

See also

References