''George Washington'' (alternately titled ''George Washington as Master Mason'') is a public artwork by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

sculptor

Donald De Lue Donald Harcourt De Lue (October 5, 1897 – August 26, 1988) was an American sculptor, best known for his public monuments. Life and career De Lue was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and later serve ...

, located on the grounds of the

Indiana Statehouse The Indiana Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Indiana. It houses the Indiana General Assembly, the office of the Governor of Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court, and other state officials. The Statehouse is located i ...

, in

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

, United States. The bronze statue of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

that occupies the

south lawn is one of several copies of a 1959 original wax cast at the

Modern Art Foundry The Modern Art Foundry is an historic foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York, founded in 1932 by John Spring. His descendants continue to operate the business in what used to be the carriage house of the Steinway Mansion. Modern Art Foundry special ...

in Long Island, New York.Indianapolis Star."New Face at Statehouse". May 16, 1987. Retrieved 3 December 2010.

Description

The statue depicts Washington dressed in breeches with an apron and medallion decorated with

Masonic symbols Masonic ritual is the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Freemasonry espouses. Masonic ritual has appeared ...

. Washington holds a tri-cornered hat in the crook of his proper left arm, and a gavel in his proper right hand. He wears an open overcoat with buttons and has a short podium to his proper right. Washington's attire depicts the first President as he may have looked when he laid the cornerstone for the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian The sculpture is mounted upon a stepped, inscribed granite base.
The base of the sculpture is inscribed with the following: * Northwest corner of sculpture: ''Donald De Lue Sc. 1959'' * Northeast corner of sculpture, east side, lower rear: ''The Modern Art Foundry, Inc.'' (Foundry mark) ''1986 New York, New York'' * Front/south side of base: ''GEORGE WASHINGTON PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES/1789-1797; First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of His Countrymen'' * West side of base: ''Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and/harmony with all. Religion and/morality enjoin this conduct./George Washington'' * East side of base: ''My attachment to the Society of which we are members will dispose me to contribute my best endeavors to promote the honor and interests of the Craft./ George Washington, Freemason 1753–1799'' * North side of base: (Masonic symbol, square and compass) ''Presented to the People of Indiana From the Freesmasons of Indiana/George Washington Commission/The Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana/May 19, 1987'' The dimensions of the statue are as follows: by x . The total weight of the statue is . The granite base is tall and weighs approximately . The Statehouse's version of De Lue's bronze statue was a gift of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Indiana, dedicated May 19, 1987. This statue appeared at similar Masonic monuments in the following locations: *

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

(1966) *

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and nort ...

(1982) *

Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by ...

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

(1966) *

Wallingford, Connecticut Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, centrally located between New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford, and Boston and New York City. The town is part ...

(1965) * Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York *

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

(1959).
Collections Search Center, Smithsonian Institution A Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture survey completed in October 1992 noted the condition as 'well-maintained'.

Historical information

''George Washington as Master Mason'' was sculpted initially from a wax mold at Donald De Lue's studio in Leonardo, New Jersey, and copyrighted in 1959. This sculpture was re-cast in 1986 and dedicated May 19, 1987 by the grand master of the Freemasons of Indiana, J.C. Paxton of Warsaw, Indiana. The total cost of the gift was $100,000. Lieutenant Governor

John Mutz John Massie Mutz (born November 5, 1935) is an American business leader and politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, Republican candidate for Governor and president of Lilly Endowment, one of America's largest family foundations. ...

accepted the statue on behalf of the state. ''George Washington as Master Mason'' was inspired by sculptor

Bryant Baker Percy Bryant Baker (July 8, 1881 – March 29, 1970) better known as Bryant Baker, was a British-born American sculptor. He sculpted a number of busts of famous Americans (including five presidents). In 1910, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdo ...

's work, ''Illustrious Brother George Washington'', which also depicts the subject in a similar pose with Masonic iconography.

References

External links

Sculptor.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:George Washington (Delue) 1959 sculptures Bronze sculptures in Indiana Culture of Detroit Indiana Statehouse Public Art Collection Washington, George Monuments and memorials in Michigan Monuments and memorials to George Washington in the United States Outdoor sculptures in Indianapolis Outdoor sculptures in Michigan Sculptures of men in Indiana Statues in Indianapolis Statues of George Washington

Description

Historical information

See also

References

External links