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Daniel Chester French — Statue of Abraham Lincoln
Daniel Chester French

Statue of Abraham Lincoln

1920

This monumental marble sculpture depicts Abraham Lincoln seated in contemplative repose, carved from Georgia marble by Daniel Chester French in 1920. Measuring 19 feet tall, the figure commands the interior chamber of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, embodying both the physical grandeur and moral authority of the sixteenth president. Lincoln's bare chest and classical drapery reference ancient philosophical tradition, while his penetrating gaze and massive scale convey dignified leadership during America's most turbulent era. The work represents a pinnacle of Beaux-Arts figural sculpture and has become one of the nation's most recognizable public monuments, serving as a symbol of democracy, emancipation, and enduring national purpose. Photo by J. Amill Santiago on Unsplash

Medium
Georgia marble sculpture

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About this work

Daniel Chester French, Statue of Abraham Lincoln, 1920

This monumental marble sculpture depicts Abraham Lincoln seated in contemplative repose, carved from Georgia marble by Daniel Chester French in 1920. Measuring 19 feet tall, the figure commands the interior chamber of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, embodying both the physical grandeur and moral authority of the sixteenth president. Lincoln's bare chest and classical drapery reference ancient philosophical tradition, while his penetrating gaze and massive scale convey dignified leadership during America's most turbulent era. The work represents a pinnacle of Beaux-Arts figural sculpture and has become one of the nation's most recognizable public monuments, serving as a symbol of democracy, emancipation, and enduring national purpose. Photo by J. Amill Santiago on Unsplash

Medium
Georgia marble sculpture
Year
1920
Seen at
Lincoln Memorial

Related themes

Seated Figure, Political Monument, Marble, Twentieth Century, Stone Carving, Patriotic Art, Public Art, Lincoln Memorial, White Marble, Classical Figural, Beaux-Arts, Historical Monument, Indoor Installation, Monumental Sculpture, American History, Neoclassical, Presidential, Washington DC, Iconic Landmark, American Sculpture

More works by Daniel Chester French

Collected by

Art Institute of Chicago