''Walt Whitman'' is a statue of

Walt Whitman Walter Whitman Jr. (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist; he also wrote two novels. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and world literature. Whitman incor ...

Jo Davidson Jo Davidson (March 30, 1883 – January 2, 1952) was an American sculptor. Although he specialized in realistic, intense portrait busts, Davidson did not require his subjects to formally pose for him; rather, he observed and spoke with them. ...

. There are several castings of it. Davidson began working on a depiction of Whitman after entering a competition for it in 1925. Although that statue was never developed, Davidson continued to refine what he had started. While working on the statue, Davidson first made a life-sized clay nude, then had a special armature created that allowed him to independently move the arms and legs, allowing him to get the exact movement that he was seeking. Davidson stated, "Nothing in my statue of Walt Whitman could be static and finally, I got the rhythm I was after." The statue was first exhibited at the New York Worlds Fair in 1939. Then, also in 1939

Averell Harriman William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891July 26, 1986) was an American politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was a founder of Harriman & Co. which merged with the older Brown Brothers to form the Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. investment ...

(whom Davidson had already done a bust of) suggested to Davidson that the work be placed in the

Bear Mountain State Park Bear Mountain State Park is a state park located on the west bank of the Hudson River in Rockland County, New York, Rockland and Orange County, New York, Orange counties, New York (state), New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, pic ...

. Davidson inspected the site, found it acceptable and the statue was placed there. At the statue's unveiling New York Park Commissioner

Robert Moses Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was an American urban planner and public official who worked in the New York metropolitan area during the early to mid-20th century. Moses is regarded as one of the most powerful and influentia ...

quipped, "I am not sure if this is a statue of Walt Whitman by Jo Davidson or a statue of Jo Davidson by Walt Whitman." Walt Whitman Monument

Another casting of the statue was done in 1957, purchased by the

Fairmount Park Art Association Established in 1872 in Philadelphia, the Association for Public Art (aPA), formerly Fairmount Park Art Association, is the first private, nonprofit public art organization dedicated to integrating public art and urban planning in the United Stat ...

and placed at the intersection of Broad Street and Packer Avenue, near the approach to the

Walt Whitman Bridge The Walt Whitman Bridge is a single-level suspension bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia in the west to Gloucester City in Camden County, New Jersey in the east. The bridge is named after American poet and essayist Walt Whi ...

In popular culture

* Poet

Louis Simpson Louis Aston Marantz Simpson (March 27, 1923 – September 14, 2012) was an American poet born in Jamaica. He won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his work ''At the End of the Open Road''. Life and career Simpson was born in Jamaica, the s ...

published a poem entitled “Walt Whitman at Bear Mountain in which he announces, “Even the bronze looks alive”. * The work can be observed in the upper right hand of the 70 Sculptors photograph taken at the

3rd Sculpture International 3rd Sculpture International was a 1949 exhibition of contemporary sculpture held inside and outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It featured works by 250 sculptors from around the world, and ran from May 15 ...

exhibition in Philadelphia in 1949. Davidson can be found in the picture seated in the front row, second from the right.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{Authority control 1939 sculptures 1957 sculptures Broad Street (Philadelphia) Bronze sculptures in Pennsylvania Landmarks in Philadelphia Monuments and memorials in Philadelphia Outdoor sculptures in Philadelphia Sculptures of men in New York (state) Sculptures of men in Pennsylvania Statues in Pennsylvania Statues of writers Davidson

In popular culture

See also

References

Bibliography