| Theodore Roosevelt, Rough Rider | |
|---|---|
 The sculpture in 2016 | |
 | |
| Artist | Alexander Phimister Proctor |
| Year | 1922 (1922) |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Dimensions | 3.7 m × 0.91 m × 2.7 m (12 ft × 3 ft × 9 ft) |
| Condition | "Treatment needed" (1993) |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°30′58″N122°40′58″W / 45.516030°N 122.682854°W /45.516030; -122.682854 |
Theodore Roosevelt, Rough Rider is abronze sculpture by American artistAlexander Phimister Proctor, formerly located in theSouth Park Blocks ofPortland, Oregon in the United States. Theequestrian statue was completed in 1922 and depictsTheodore Roosevelt as the leader of the cavalry regiment that fought during theSpanish–American War called theRough Riders. It was toppled by demonstrators during theIndigenous Peoples Day of Rage in October 2020. The statue is set to be restored and re-installed at a yet to be determined date.[1]
.jpg)
Theodore Roosevelt, Rough Rider is anequestrian statue designed by American sculptorAlexander Phimister Proctor (1860–1950). Thebronze sculpture depictsTheodore Roosevelt, formerPresident of the United States, as the leader of the cavalry regiment called theRough Riders, who fought during theSpanish–American War.[2] According to theRegional Arts & Culture Council, which administers the work, "Proctor took great care in accurately depicting Roosevelt as a symbol of American determination, success, and strength and as a bridge back to the Wild West."[2] The statue is located in Portland'sSouth Park Blocks, along Southwest Park Avenue between Southwest Jefferson and Madison Streets. It measures 12 feet (3.7 m) × 3 feet (0.91 m) × 9 feet (2.7 m) and is mounted to a base that measures 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 m) long × 6 feet (1.8 m) high × 1 foot 6 inches (0.46 m) wide.[2]
The memorial was commissioned after Roosevelt's death. Completed in 1922, the sculpture was cast in Brooklyn, New York, and was shipped by sea via thePanama Canal to avoid cutting the work into pieces.Henry Waldo Coe, a friend and hunting partner of Roosevelt's, donated the statue to the City of Portland.Calvin Coolidge, thenVice President of the United States, was present at the statue's dedication.[2]
The creation of the statue was documented by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in its 1922 film, The Making of a Bronze Statue. This film was the first time that the entire process of creating a bronze statue by the lost-wax method of casting was photographed. The Metropolitan Museum of Art made this film available on Youtube in January 2023.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPJZwlnw-rc
The statue's condition was deemed "treatment needed" by theSmithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in April 1993.[3] It was toppled by demonstrators during theIndigenous Peoples Day of Rage in October 2020, along with the nearbystatue of Abraham Lincoln, in what Portland police declared a riot.[4]
On July 28, 2021, Stan Pulliam, the mayor ofSandy, Oregon, proposed to have the Roosevelt statue and two other Portland statues, one ofLincoln and one ofWashington, reinstalled inSandy, Oregon.[5] He said: "When we heard last week that the city of Portland is considering not putting the statues back up we decided we're tired of the embarrassment"[6]
In 2024, the city announced that the statue would be re-installed at a yet to be determined date after restoration and repair.[7]
Media related toTheodore Roosevelt, Rough Rider at Wikimedia Commons| Public art | |
|---|---|
| Events | |
