878. Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), American,

Abraham Lincoln, 1922. Marble, 5.8 x 5.8 m.

Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

 

 

Housed within the memorial which bears his name, Daniel Chester French’s statue of Abraham Lincoln is one of the most iconic and beloved representations of any American president. Originally intended to be only three metres tall, its proportions were enlarged to just under six metres in order to complement the spacious, neoclassical vault in which it resides. In all, the statue, which is made of Georgia white marble, weighs in at an astounding 159 tons, and had to be shipped to Washington D.C. in twenty-nine pieces.

Long known for his compassion, honesty, and humanity, Lincoln is portrayed in the seated position overlooking the long National Mall and its reflecting pool. His statue has long been the staging ground of demonstrations and protests, and most notably, was the scene of civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech, “I Have a Dream”, a fitting location, given that Lincoln is remembered as the emancipator of slaves during the American Civil War.