| William Tecumseh Sherman Victory | |
|---|---|
 The sculptures in 2016 | |
 | |
| Artist | Augustus Saint-Gaudens |
| Year | 1903 (1903) |
| Type | Equestrian sculpture |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | William Tecumseh Sherman |
| Location | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°45′52″N73°58′24″W / 40.7645°N 73.9732°W /40.7645; -73.9732 |
William Tecumseh Sherman, also known as theSherman Memorial orSherman Monument,[1][2] is a sculpture group honoringWilliam Tecumseh Sherman, created byAugustus Saint-Gaudens and located atGrand Army Plaza inManhattan, New York. Cast in 1902 and dedicated on May 30, 1903, the gilded-bronze monument consists of anequestrian statue of Sherman and an accompanying statue,Victory, an allegorical female figure of the Greek goddessNike.[3] The statues are set on aStony Creek granite pedestal designed by the architectCharles Follen McKim.[4]
The idea for the statue dates back to as early as 1888. The architectCharles Follen McKim and sculptorAugustus Saint-Gaudens decided in 1902 to install an equestrian statue of U.S. Army generalWilliam Tecumseh Sherman in Central Park.[4] Several sites had been considered, includingSherman Square on theUpper West Side; the median ofRiverside Drive just south ofGrant's Tomb; another site on Riverside Drive; and Grand Army Plaza.[5] TheCentral Park Mall was also considered but ruled out.[6] The statue was dedicated in the northern half of what would later become the Grand Army Plaza on May 30, 1903.[7]
The plaza was re-landscaped in the 1910s after newspaper publisherJoseph Pulitzer died in 1911, bequeathing $50,000 for the creation of amemorial fountain.[8] As part of the fountain's construction, the Sherman Monument remained in the northern half, but moved 15 feet (4.6 m) west to be symmetrically opposite the fountain.[9]
On July 23, 1974, theLandmarks Preservation Commission designatedGrand Army Plaza, including the Sherman Monument, as aNew York City scenic landmark.[10] On March 26, 1985, the Central Park Conservancy and the architecture firm ofButtrick White & Burtis presented plans to theLandmarks Preservation Commission for a full restoration of the plaza, including the Sherman Monument.[11] The work was completed in June 1990, including a re-gilding of the statue, and the replacement of a palm frond and a sword that had been removed previously.[12] Grand Army Plaza was renewed again in 2013, including a re-gilding of the statue of William Tecumseh Sherman.[13]
Inscription: To general William Tecumse H. Sherman, Born Feb 8 1820, Died Feb 14 1891, Erected by citizens of New York under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York
According to the report prepared by the Landmarks Commission for its 1974 designation, many consider the Sherman Monument to be Saint-Gaudens’ finest work. Not everyone agreed; according toFrank Weitenkampf,[14] sculptorJohn Quincy Adams Ward was less than enthusiastic about the equestrian composition: "Saint-Gaudens was a timid rider and it showed in this work.... if the horse should stumble the general would inevitably be thrown over his head."
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The obverse of Saint-Gaudens' 1907 United StatesSaint-Gaudens double eagle coin, portrayingLiberty,[15] is based on his sculpture ofVictory.
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Media related toWilliam Tecumseh Sherman monument by Augustus Saint-Gaudens at Wikimedia Commons