George Washington
Washington Square in Manhattan
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George as commander in chief.
These statues of George Washington, the first president and famous wearer of false teeth, adorn the north side of the memorial arch in Washington Square in Manhattan.
There are two 16-foot granite figures, each capturing the reticent Virginian in an important role. On the front of the western leg of the arch is Washington as the first president of the nascent republic. His pose is a confident one, with his left hand leaning on a pedestal and his left leg cocked to the side. Behind him, in relief on the wall, are, so I am told, the human personifications of fame and valor. This one was sculpted by Alexander Stirling Calder.
On the eastern leg is Washington as general of the Continental Army. Washington wears a hat and a cloak, and he is holding an apparently unsheathed, somewhat medieval-looking sword with its tip pointed down. Behind him, in relief, are wisdom and justice. This one was sculpted by Hermon Atkins MacNeil.
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George as prez.
I have so far had trouble learning much more than that about the statues. The arch itself is 77 feet high. It was designed by Stanford White and dedicated on May 4, 1895. Construction began in 1888 to mark the centennial of Washington’s inauguration, which would have been the next year, though at first the arch was made of wood and plaster. In 1895, money was raised to replace it with a marble arch. The marble used came from Tuckahoe in Westchester County.
MacNeil’s piece was added in 1916, Calder’s in 1918.
The arch has been cleaned and maintained several times, though the figures show obvious signs of erosion.
