''George Washington'' (alternately titled ''George Washington as Master Mason'') is a public artwork by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

sculptor Donald De Lue, located on the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse, in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, United States. The bronze statue of

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

that occupies the Indiana Statehouse south lawn is one of several copies of a 1959 original wax cast at the

Modern Art Foundry The Modern Art Foundry is an historic foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York, founded in 1932 by John Spring. His descendants continue to operate the business in what used to be the carriage house of the Steinway Mansion. Modern Art Foundry special ...

in Long Island, New York.Indianapolis Star."New Face at Statehouse". May 16, 1987. Retrieved 3 December 2010.

Description

The statue depicts Washington dressed in breeches with an apron and medallion decorated with

Masonic symbols Masonic ritual is the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Freemasonry espouses. Masonic ritual has appeared ...

. Washington holds a tri-cornered hat in the crook of his proper left arm, and a gavel in his proper right hand. He wears an open overcoat with buttons and has a short podium to his proper right. Washington's attire depicts the first President as he may have looked when he laid the cornerstone for the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian The sculpture is mounted upon a stepped, inscribed granite base.
The base of the sculpture is inscribed with the following: * Northwest corner of sculpture: ''Donald De Lue Sc. 1959'' * Northeast corner of sculpture, east side, lower rear: ''The Modern Art Foundry, Inc.'' (Foundry mark) ''1986 New York, New York'' * Front/south side of base: ''GEORGE WASHINGTON PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES/1789-1797; First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of His Countrymen'' * West side of base: ''Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and/harmony with all. Religion and/morality enjoin this conduct./George Washington'' * East side of base: ''My attachment to the Society of which we are members will dispose me to contribute my best endeavors to promote the honor and interests of the Craft./ George Washington, Freemason 1753–1799'' * North side of base: (Masonic symbol, square and compass) ''Presented to the People of Indiana From the Freesmasons of Indiana/George Washington Commission/The Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana/May 19, 1987'' The dimensions of the statue are as follows: by x . The total weight of the statue is . The granite base is tall and weighs approximately . The Statehouse's version of De Lue's bronze statue was a gift of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Indiana, dedicated May 19, 1987. This statue appeared at similar Masonic monuments in the following locations: *

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

(1966) *

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

(1982) *

Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and was firs ...

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...

(1966) *

Wallingford, Connecticut Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, centrally located between New Haven and Hartford, and Boston and New York City. The population was 44,396 at the 2020 census. The community was named after Wallingford, in En ...

(1965) * Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York *

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

(1959).
Collections Search Center, Smithsonian Institution A Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture survey completed in October 1992 noted the condition as 'well-maintained'.

Historical information

''George Washington as Master Mason'' was sculpted initially from a wax mold at Donald De Lue's studio in Leonard, New Jersey, and copyrighted in 1959. This sculpture was re-cast in 1986 and dedicated May 19, 1987 by the grand master of the Freemasons of Indiana, J.C. Paxton of Warsaw, Indiana. The total cost of the gift was $100,000. Lieutenant Governor

John Mutz John Massie Mutz (born November 5, 1935) is an American business leader and politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, Republican candidate for Governor and president of Lilly Endowment, one of America's largest family foundations. ...

accepted the statue on behalf of the state. ''George Washington as Master Mason'' was inspired by sculptor Bryant Baker's work, ''Illustrious Brother George Washington'', which also depicts the subject in a similar pose with Masonic iconography.

References

External links

Sculptor.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:George Washington (Delue) Outdoor sculptures in Indianapolis Monuments and memorials in Indiana Indiana Statehouse Public Art Collection Outdoor sculptures in Michigan Culture of Detroit Monuments and memorials in Michigan 1959 sculptures Bronze sculptures in Indiana Statues of George Washington Statues in Indianapolis Sculptures of men in Indiana Monuments and memorials to George Washington in the United States

Description

Historical information

See also

References

External links