Walker Kirtland Hancock (June 28, 1901 – December 30, 1998) was an American sculptor and teacher. He created notable monumental sculptures, including the

Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial The Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial is a monument on the main concourse of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It commemorates the 1,307 Pennsylvania Railroad employees who died in World War II. History The monument fe ...

(1950–52) at

30th Street Station 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, and the World War I Soldiers' Memorial (1936–38) in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. He made major additions to the

National Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is an American cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The cathedral is located in Washington, D.C., the ca ...

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

, including ''Christ in Majesty'' (1972), the bas relief over the High Altar. Works by him are at the United States Military Academy (West Point), the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

, the

United States Supreme Court Building The Supreme Court Building houses the Supreme Court of the United States. Also referred to as "The Marble Palace," the building serves as the official workplace of the chief justice of the United States and the eight associate justices of th ...

, and the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, he was one of the

Monuments Men A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

, who recovered art treasures looted by the

Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in N ...

. Hancock was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1989, and the

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...

in 1990.

Education and early career

He was born in

, the son of Walter Scott Hancock, a lawyer, and wife Anna Spencer. He had two older sisters and one younger.''A Sculptor's Fortunes''. He attended St. Louis public schools and Central High School. From age 14, he attended Wednesday night and all-day Saturday classes at

Washington University Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

St. Louis School of Fine Arts The St. Louis School of Fine Arts was founded as the Saint Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts in 1879 as part of Washington University in St. Louis, and has continuously offered visual arts and sculpture education since then. Its purpose-buil ...

. He graduated from high school in 1919, and spent the summer taking classes at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

. He enrolled at Washington University in the fall, and the following summer worked as an assistant to his teacher, Victor Holm, helping to complete the sculpture program for the Missouri State Monument at

Vicksburg National Military Park Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The park, located in Vicksburg, Mississippi (flanking the Mississippi River), also commemorates the greater ...

.Crouse & Ambler. In Fall 1920, he transferred to the

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appa ...

, to study under

Charles Grafly Charles Allan Grafly, Jr. (December 3, 1862May 5, 1929) was an American sculptor, and teacher. Instructor of Sculpture at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts for 37 years, his students included Paul Manship, Albin Polasek, and Walker Hanc ...

. As a student at PAFA, he won the 1921 Edmund Stewardson Prize, and the 1922 and 1923

Cresson Traveling Scholarship The Cresson Traveling Scholarship, also known as the William Emlen Cresson Memorial Traveling Scholarship, is a two-year scholarship for foreign travel and/or study awarded annually to art students at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Phi ...

s, enabling him to travel through Europe. His ''Bust of Toivo'' (1924, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA) was awarded PAFA's 1925 George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal.James-Gadzinski & Cunningham. He won the 1925

Rome Prize The Rome Prize is awarded by the American Academy in Rome, in Rome, Italy. Approximately thirty scholars and artists are selected each year to receive a study fellowship at the academy. Prizes have been awarded annually since 1921, with a hiatus ...

, and spent the next 3 years studying at the

American Academy in Rome The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) in Rome. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. History In 1893, a group of American architects, ...

. A 1929 automobile accident left Grafly gravely injured. On his deathbed, he asked Hancock to succeed him as PAFA's Instructor of Sculpture. Hancock held that position from 1929 to 1967, with interruptions for his war service and two years as sculptor-in-residence at the

(1956–57).

World War II

Hancock served in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

during

, and became one of the "Monuments Men", recovering art looted by the Nazis. Because he spoke fluent Italian, Hancock was recruited into Army intelligence, where he wrote a handbook for soldiers serving in Italy. He won the national competition to design the

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

(1942), established by President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

, to honor "any person who, while serving in any capacity in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States subsequent to September 8, 1939, distinguishes, or has distinguished, himself by meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight." On December 4, 1943, three weeks before being shipped overseas, he married Saima Natti (1905–1984) in a chapel at the

in Washington, D.C. Later, he would make major additions to the cathedral, including the altarpiece for the Good Shepherd Chapel (1957); half-life-size statues of

Ulrich Zwingli Huldrych or Ulrich Zwingli (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531) was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system. He attended the Univ ...

(1965) and

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutherani ...

(1967); ''Christ in Majesty'' (1972), the bas relief over the High Altar; and a life-size statue of

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

(1984).

Monuments men

Hancock was posted in London in early 1944, where he researched and wrote reports on monuments and art works in occupied France. "He was one of 10 officers sent to the continent after D-Day to implement the Allied Expeditionary Force's policy to avoid, wherever military exigency would permit, damage to structures, documents or other items of historical or artistic importance and to prevent further deterioration of those already damaged. With personnel and equipment for this seemingly hopeless task in short supply, Captain Hancock had to rely on his ingenuity, resourcefulness, and extensive knowledge of European cultural history to rescue countless treasures from dampness, fire, weather and the depredations of looters and troops requiring billets." In May 1945, Walker Hancock set up the first so-called Central Collecting Point in

Marburg Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approxima ...

. Under his leadership, tens of thousands of artworks, books and documents were inventoried and temporarily stored, mainly in the Marburg State Archives. For the photographic documentation, Hancock cooperated with the Bildarchiv Foto Marburg. To protest the "Westward Ho" operation, which took around 200 German-owned paintings to the National Gallery of Art, he resigned from his position in the late fall of 1945 and returned to the United States.

Death

Hancock died in 1998 in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Works

Zuni Bird Charmer

Hancock's first major commission was the ''Jessie Tennille Maschmeyer Memorial Fountain'' (1931–32) for the St. Louis Zoo. A drinking fountain featuring a pedestal flanked by twin basins, the severe Art Deco-Pueblo architecture of its granite base served as inspiration for Hancock's central figure, a '' Zuni Bird Charmer''. The larger-than-life-sized figure of a loin-clothed kneeling man with a bird perched on each wrist, won Hancock PAFA's 1932 Fellowship Prize. The fountain is located beside the east entrance to the zoo's Bird House.

The Spirit of St. Louis

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...

worked as a flight instructor and airmail pilot in St. Louis in the 1920s. On May 20–21, 1927, he piloted a locally-built plane, ''

The Spirit of St. Louis The ''Spirit of St. Louis'' (formally the Ryan NYP, registration: N-X-211) is the custom-built, single-engine, single-seat, high-wing monoplane that was flown by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first solo nonstop transatlanti ...

'', on the first successful solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight—from Long Island, New York to

Paris, France Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. This won him the $25,000

Orteig Prize The Orteig Prize was a reward offered to the first Allied aviator(s) to fly non-stop from New York City to Paris or vice versa.Bak. Pages 28 and 29. Several famous aviators made unsuccessful attempts at the New York–Paris flight before the rel ...

, and made him an international celebrity. Later that year, Lindbergh lent his awards, trophies and memorabilia to the

Missouri Historical Society The Missouri Historical Society was founded in St. Louis on August 11, 1866. Founding members created the historical society "for the purpose of saving from oblivion the early history of the city and state". Organization The Missouri Historica ...

, which exhibited them at the city's Jefferson Memorial Building. Lindberg deeded the collection to the historical society in 1935, and in 1941 commissioned Hancock to create a work honoring those who had sponsored and built ''The Spirit of St. Louis''.Charles A. Lindbergh, ''The Spirit of St. Louis'' (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1953), p. 530. Hancock's marble bas-relief plaque – an allegory portraying Louis IX of France (Saint Louis) launching a falcon into flight – was installed at the

Missouri History Museum The Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri, showcases Missouri history. It is operated by the Missouri Historical Society, which was founded in 1866. Museum admission is free through a public subsidy by the Metropolitan ...

in 1942.

30thStreetStation-AngelOfTheResurrection

Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial

Perhaps Hancock's most famous work is the ''Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial'' (1950–52), at

. The 39-foot (11.9 m) monument is dedicated to the 1,307 PRR employees who died in the war, whose names are listed on bronze panels on its tall, black-granite base. Hancock's heroic bronze, ''Angel of the Resurrection'', depicts

Michael the Archangel Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...

raising up a fallen soldier from the Flames of War. It was his favorite sculpture.

Stone Mountain

In 1964, Hancock took over supervision of the ''Confederate Memorial'' at

Stone Mountain, Georgia Stone Mountain is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,703 according to the 2020 US Census. Stone Mountain is in the eastern part of DeKalb County and is a suburb of Atlanta that encompasses nearly 1.7 square mil ...

. The proposed relief carving, the size of a football field, had been begun in 1917 by

Gutzon Borglum John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum (March 25, 1867 – March 6, 1941) was an American sculptor best known for his work on Mount Rushmore. He is also associated with various other public works of art across the U.S., including Stone Mountain in Geo ...

. Borglum was dismissed in 1925, and replaced by Augustus Lukeman. (Borglum went on to design and carve

Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Lakota: ''Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe'', or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakot ...

.) No work had been done since 1928. Hancock simplified Lukeman's model, eliminating the horses' lower bodies and legs, and made design adjustments as problems arose with the carving or stone. He modeled towers to flank the carving, but they were never executed due to lack of money. Roy Faulkner completed the carving of the memorial in 1972.

Gethsemane

For Trinity Episcopal Church,

Topsfield, Massachusetts Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,569 at the 2020 census. Topsfield is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts. Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfiel ...

, Hancock created an immersive sculpture group, ''The Garden of Gethsemane'' (1965–66). On one side of a garden, a kneeling figure of Christ, seen from behind, agonizes about offering himself up for sacrifice, while on the other side his disciples, Peter, James, John, huddle together asleep. The sculpture group was commissioned as a memorial to

Jonathan Daniels Jonathan Myrick Daniels (March 20, 1939 – August 20, 1965) was an Episcopal seminarian and civil rights activist. In 1965, he was killed by a special county deputy, Tom Coleman, who was a construction worker, in Hayneville, Alabama, while i ...

, an Episcopal seminarian murdered during the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the Unite ...

. A duplicate of ''Christ Praying'' is at Rev. Daniels's alma mater, the

Episcopal Divinity School The Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) is a theological school in New York City that trains students for service with the Episcopal Church. It is affiliated with the Union Theological Seminary. Students who enroll in the EDS at Union Anglican st ...

in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A duplicate of the 2-part work is at a

Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...

monastery in Kentucky.

List of works

James Madison by Walker Hancock LOC03189v

* Fountain sculpture: ''Dancing Tritons'' (bronze, 1928–29),

Parrish Art Museum The Parrish Art Museum is an art museum designed by Herzog & de Meuron Architects and located in Water Mill, New York, whereto it moved in 2012 from Southampton Village. The museum focuses extensively on work by artists from the artist colony o ...

(former building), 25 Jobs Lane,

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

, Long Island, New York. * ''Zuni Bird Charmer'' (bronze, 1931–32), Bird House, St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri. * Pedimental sculpture group: ''The Bond of Postal Union'' (limestone, 1934), Pennsylvania Avenue facade, New Post Office Building (now

William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building The William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building is a complex of several historic buildings located in the Federal Triangle in Washington, D.C., across 12th Street, NW from the Old Post Office. The complex now houses the headquarters of the Enviro ...

), Washington, D.C. (with

Adolph Alexander Weinman Adolph Alexander Weinman (December 11, 1870 – August 8, 1952) was a Germany-born American sculptor and architectural sculptor. Early life and education Adolph Alexander Weinman was born December 11, 1870 at Durmersheim, near Karlsruhe, Germ ...

). * 5 bas relief busts: ''Beatty'', ''Foch'', ''Pershing'', ''Diaz'', ''Jacques'', (bronze, 1934–35),

Liberty Memorial The National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri was opened in 1926 as the Liberty Memorial. In 2004, it was designated by the United States Congress as the country's official war memorial and museum dedicated to World War ...

, National World War I Monument, Kansas City, Missouri. * Architectural sculpture, 5 bas relief panels: ''The Round Up'', ''First Plowing'', ''Coming of the Railroad'', ''Pioneer Founders'', ''River Traffic'' (limestone, 1936), north façade,

Kansas City City Hall Kansas City City Hall is the official seat of government for the city of Kansas City, Missouri. Located in downtown, it is a 29-story skyscraper with an observation deck. Completed in 1937, the building has a Beaux-Arts and Art-Deco style with ...

, Kansas City, Missouri. * 4 monumental sculpture groups: ''Vision'', ''Courage'', ''Sacrifice'', ''Loyalty'' (granite, 1936–38), Soldiers' Memorial, St. Louis, Missouri. * Bas relief panel: ''The Post Rider'' (marble, 1936–38), West Springfield Post Office,

West Springfield, Massachusetts West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was ...

. * Bust: ''Piatt Andrew'' (bronze, 1938), Museum of Franco-American Cooperation,

Blérancourt Blérancourt () is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, department of Aisne in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Population Sights The Château de Blérancourt, an influential design by Salomon de Brosse houses the Na ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. ** A replica is at American Friends Service Committee Headquarters in New York City. * Triton Fountain (plaster, 1938–39, destroyed), 1939 New York World's Fair, Flushing, Queens, New York City. ** A one-third-scale version of one of the triton figures is at Elizabeth Gordon Smith Park, Gloucester, Massachusetts. * ''Judge Charles Lincoln Brown'' (marble, 1940), Philadelphia Municipal Courthouse, 1801 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. * Bust: ''Stephen Collins Foster'' (bronze, 1941),

Hall of Fame for Great Americans The Hall of Fame for Great Americans is an outdoor sculpture gallery located on the grounds of Bronx Community College (BCC) in the Bronx, New York City. It is the first such hall of fame in the United States. Built in 1901 as part of the U ...

, Bronx, New York City. * '' Frank P. Brown Medal'' (bronze, 1941), awarded by the

Franklin Institute The Franklin Institute is a science museum and the center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memori ...

, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.MedalArtists.com
/ref> * Bas relief plaque: ''The Spirit of St. Louis'' (marble, 1941–42),

, St. Louis, Missouri. Hancock's allegory for

's 1927 flight across the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

features Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France) launching the flight of a

falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

.Charles Lindbergh Plaque
from St. Louis Art Museum. * ''

'' (1942). * ''World War II Memorial Tablet'' (bronze, 1947–49), Central High School, St. Louis, Missouri. Inscription: "Central High School: To Those Who Gave Their Lives For Their Country, 1941–1945." * Bust: ''Robert Frost'' (bronze, 1950), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. * ''Angel of the Resurrection'' (bronze, 1950–52),

, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ** Hancock's one-third-scale plaster model is at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. * ''President Dwight David Eisenhower Inaugural Medal'' (gold, 1953),

Corcoran Gallery of Art The Corcoran Gallery of Art was an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, that is now the location of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, a part of the George Washington University. Overview The Corcoran School of the Arts & Design ...

, Washington, D.C. ** Hancock also created the 1957 inaugural medal, which features profiles of both President Eisenhower and Vice-President Richard M. Nixon. * ''John Joseph Eagan'' (bronze, 1953–55),

American Cast Iron Pipe Company American Cast Iron Pipe Company is a manufacturer of ductile iron pipe, spiral-welded steel pipe, fire hydrants, and valves for the waterworks industry, and electric-resistance-welded steel pipe for the oil and natural gas industry. Headquarte ...

, Birmingham, Alabama. * Relief bust: ''Andrew W. Mellon'' (marble, 1954), National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. * Bust: ''Woodrow Wilson'' (bronze, 1956),

, Bronx, New York City. * Bust: ''Governor Percival P. Baxter'' (bronze, 1956), Maine State House, Augusta, Maine. * Bas relief panel: ''World War II and Korean War Memorial'' (1957), Loudon County Courthouse,

Leesburg, Virginia Leesburg is a town in the state of Virginia, and the county seat of Loudoun County. Settlement in the area began around 1740, which is named for the Lee family, early leaders of the town and ancestors of Robert E. Lee. Located in the far northeas ...

. * ''John Paul Jones'' (bronze, 1957), William M. Reilly Memorial, Philadelphia Museum of Art Sculpture Garden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. * ''The Good Shepherd'' ( Istrian stone, 1957), Bowker Memorial Fountain, All Saints Episcopal Church,

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

. ** In 1995, Hancock donated a bronze version to St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Rockport, Massachusetts, as a memorial to his wife. * Architectural sculpture: ''Three Angels with Palm Branches'' (limestone, 1959–60), Military Chapel, Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, France. Carved by M. Juge. * ''Vice President Alben W. Barkley'' (bronze, 1960–63),

Kentucky State Capitol The Kentucky State Capitol is located in Frankfort and is the house of the three branches (executive, legislative, judicial) of the state government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic P ...

, Lexington. * ''Paul Weeks Litchfield'', (bronze, 1961),

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling and based in Akron, Ohio. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, S ...

, Akron, Ohio. * '' Confederate Memorial'' (granite, 1917–72), Stone Mountain, Georgia. Hancock supervised its completion, 1964-72. * ''The Garden of Gethsemane'' (bronze, 1965–66), Trinity Church, Topsfield, Massachusetts. ** A replica is at The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, Bardstown, Kentucky.Garden of Gethsemani
from Flickr. ** A replica of ''Christ Praying'' is at the

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston ...

. * ''Air'' (bronze, 1978–82), Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. * ''Arion on a Dolphin'' (bronze, 1989), Dunn Tower, Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas. * Bust: ''W. E. B. DuBois'' (marble, 1993),

Memorial Hall A memorial hall is a hall built to commemorate an individual or group; most commonly those who have died in war. Most are intended for public use and are sometimes described as ''utilitarian memorials''. History of the Memorial Hall In the aft ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

United States Military Academy (West Point)

* ''General Douglas MacArthur'' (bronze, 1969), MacArthur Monument (West Point). A duplicate of this is at the

MacArthur Memorial The MacArthur Memorial is a memorial, museum, and research center about the life of General Douglas MacArthur. It consists of three buildings on MacArthur Square in Norfolk, Virginia. * Memorial – located in the former Norfolk City Hall Norf ...

, Norfolk, Virginia. * Bust: ''General Leslie R. Groves'' (bronze, 1975). * ''Flight Memorial'' (bronze, 1992).

Washington National Cathedral

* ''Christ the Good Shepherd Altarpiece'' (limestone, 1957), Good Shepherd Chapel. Carved by Roger Morigi. * ''Niche figure of Ulrich Zwingli'' (limestone, 1965). Carved by Roger Morigi. * ''Niche figure of Martin Luther'' (limestone, 1967). Carved by Roger Morigi. * ''Christ in Majesty'' (limestone, 1972), bas relief over the High Altar. Carved by Roger Morigi (with Frank Zic). * ''Statue of Abraham Lincoln'' (bronze, 1984), west end of the Nave.

Library of Congress

* Bust: ''Stephen Foster'' (marble, 1951–52),

James Madison Memorial Building The James Madison Memorial Building is one of three United States Capitol Complex buildings that house the Library of Congress. The building was constructed from 1971 to 1976, and serves as the official memorial to President James Madison. It is ...

. Hancock designed the bust in the style of an

antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ...

sculptor such as

Hiram Powers Hiram Powers (July 29, 1805 – June 27, 1873) was an American neoclassical sculptor. He was one of the first 19th-century American artists to gain an international reputation, largely based on his famous marble sculpture ''The Greek Slave''. ...

, and carved it in marble himself. * ''James Madison'' (marble, 1974–76),

United States Supreme Court Building

* Bust: ''Chief-Justice Earl Warren'' (marble, 1977). * Bust: ''Chief-Justice Warren E. Burger'' (marble, 1983). ** Bronze versions of this are at the National Portrait Gallery, the

Minnesota State Capitol The Minnesota State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Minnesota, in its capital city of Saint Paul. It houses the Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House of Representatives, the office of the Attorney General and the office ...

, the Swem Library at the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

, and elsewhere.

United States Capitol

* Bust: ''Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey, Jr.'' (marble, 1981–82). * Bust: ''Vice-President Gerald R. Ford'' (marble, 1984–85). ** Replicas at

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is the Presidential library system, presidential museum and burial place of Gerald Ford, the List of presidents of the United States, 38th president of the United States (1974–1977), and his wife Betty Fo ...

, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, Austin, Texas; and elsewhere. * Bust: ''Vice-President George H. W. Bush'' (marble, 1990–91). File:Old&NewPostOffices(cropped) HABS029904pv.jpg, At upper right: ''The Bond of Postal Union'' pediment (1934), New Post Office Building (now part of the

), Washington, D.C. File:DiazVictoryMemorialKC.jpg, Bas relief busts (1934–35),

, Kansas City, Missouri. File:Am Arch Sculpt 7.jpg, ''River Traffic'' (1936),

, Missouri. File:JP Jones PMA Philly.JPG, ''John Paul Jones'' (1957), Philadelphia Museum of Art Sculpture Garden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. File:PaulLitchfield.jpg, ''Paul Weeks Litchfield'' (1961),

, Akron, Ohio. File:Alben W. Barkeley by Walter Hancock - Kentucky State Capitol - DSC09231.JPG, ''Vice President Alben W. Barkley'' (1960–63),

. File:Stone Mountain Carving 2.jpg, ''Confederate Memorial'' (1917–72), Stone Mountain, Georgia. Hancock supervised its completion, 1964-72. File:14 Earl Warren bust, US Supreme Court.jpg, ''Chief Justice Earl Warren'' (1977), U. S. Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. File:15 Warren E. Burger bust, US Supreme Court.jpg, ''Chief Justice Warren E. Burger'' (1983), U. S. Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C.

Honors

For his military service, Hancock was awarded the

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...

, the

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wo ...

, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. He served as a member of the Smithsonian Institution's National Collection of Fine Arts Commission. He was elected an associate member of the

National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the f ...

in 1936, and an academician in 1939. He was inducted into the

American Academy of Arts and Letters The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headqu ...

in 1941. For his body of work, he was awarded the

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is a museum and private art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

' Medal of Honor in 1953, and the

National Sculpture Society Founded in 1893, the National Sculpture Society (NSS) was the first organization of professional sculptors formed in the United States. The purpose of the organization was to promote the welfare of American sculptors, although its founding members ...

's Herbert Adams Medal of Honor in 1954. In 1971, Hancock received the Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet ...

. The U.S. Congress awarded him the National Medal of Arts in 1989. President George H. W. Bush awarded him the

Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...

in 1990.

Legacy

From 1930 onwards, he kept a studio in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to which he ultimately retired. Saima Natti Hancock, his wife of 40 years, died in 1984. The Cape Ann Historical Association mounted a 1989 retrospective exhibition of his works, and published his autobiography, ''A Sculptor's Fortunes'' (1997). His work was also part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics. He endowed Massachusetts's ''Walker Hancock Prize'', given for excellence in the arts. The

has an annual prize named for him. His papers are at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, and in the Hancock Family Archives in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Several of his works can be found at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, Rockport, Massachusetts. He and his wife are buried at Seaside Cemetery, Gloucester, Massachusetts. In the 2014 film ''

The Monuments Men ''The Monuments Men'' is a 2014 war film directed by George Clooney and written and produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov. The film stars an ensemble cast including Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hug ...

'', the Sgt. Walter Garfield character played by

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC comedy series ''Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he rec ...

is loosely based on Hancock."Meet Gloucester's Monuments Man: Walker Hancock,"
''Gloucester Times'', February 7, 2014.

References

Sources

* Walker Hancock, "Experiences of a Monuments Officer in Germany", ''College Art Journal'', 5:4 (May 1946), College Art Association. * Timothy Crouse & Louise Todd Ambler, ''The Sculpture of Walker Hancock'', exhibition catalogue (Gloucester, MA: Cape Ann Historical Association, 1989): introduction, biographical essay, afterword, checklist of works, 1919-88. * Walker Hancock, ''A Sculptor's Fortunes: A Memoir'' (Gloucester, MA: Cape Ann Historical Association, 1997). * Susan James-Gadzinski & Mary Mullen Cunningham, "Walker Hancock, b. 1901", ''American Sculpture in the Museum of American Art of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts'' (PAFA, 1997), pp. 279–85.

External links

1977 interview with Walker Hancock on his work as a Monuments Man
from Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution – (MP3, 24:01) *
Photos of Hancock's public art in Philadelphia
Philart.net.

at Smithsonian Archives of American Art.

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20121020122631/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-578340.html Obituary, ''The Washington Post'', January 3, 1999. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hancock, Walker 1901 births 1998 deaths Artists from St. Louis Sculptors from Pennsylvania American architectural sculptors American male sculptors Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts alumni Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts faculty United States National Medal of Arts recipients Washington University in St. Louis alumni Saint Louis Zoo people Monuments men Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Military personnel from St. Louis United States Army personnel of World War II 20th-century American sculptors 20th-century male artists Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Sculptors from Missouri Stone Mountain Olympic competitors in art competitions United States Army officers