''Nathan Hale'' is an artistic work which was unveiled by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York during the celebration of Evacuation Day (New York), November 25, 1893.''Nathan Hale The Martyr'', New York Times, November 25, 1893, p. 1. It originally stood at the corner of Broadway and

Chambers Street Chambers Street may refer to: Streets * Chambers Street (Edinburgh), a street in Edinburgh, Scotland * Chambers Street (Manhattan), a street in New York City, New York, USA New York City Subway stations * Chambers Street (BMT Nassau Street Line) ...

in Manhattan. Currently it is located at the steps of City Hall. The image of

Nathan Hale Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot, soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured b ...

gazed at passersby in almost the same location, where on September 22, 1776, he was hanged by

Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

partisans during the American Revolution. Standing eight feet tall, the sculpture was created by Frederick William MacMonnies, a pupil of

August St. Gaudens Augustus Saint-Gaudens (; March 1, 1848 – August 3, 1907) was an American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who embodied the ideals of the American Renaissance. From a French-Irish family, Saint-Gaudens was raised in New York City, he trav ...

. It cost approximately $15,000 when completed and mounted.

Sculpture details

The statue was cast in Paris, France and came to the United States a fortnight before its originally planned unveiling date of June 8, 1893. It stood on exhibition in St. Gaudens' studio, 148 West 36th Street, where a pedestal for it was prepared by architect Stanford White. It was placed facing the junction of Broadway and Chambers Street, after the drum-shaped granite pedestal, also eight feet tall, was attached as its stand. The 1776 execution site was as far Uptown, Manhattan as Harlem was in 1893. In this position, Hale appeared to be looking at his executioners and proclaiming ''My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country.'' The patriot's arms are bound. He is attired in a coat and waistcoat, with a frilled shirt which is open. His neck is bare in preparation for the executioner's noose. Hale's feet are also bound. Six feet tall in real life, Hale's artistic rendition has hands which are held out as far as the rope cords permit. Henry Marquand called the statue the finest produced on the United States side of the Atlantic Ocean.''Statues For Two Cities'', New York Times, June 4, 1893, p. 20.

Other versions

The Metropolitan Museum has a copy of the statue, as do the Art Museum at Princeton University, the

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of char ...

, the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...

, the White House, and the Mead Art Museum at

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educatio ...

In popular culture

* The statue was shown at the end of the 1916 historical drama silent film '' The Heart of a Hero''.

References

{{Frederick William MacMonnies 1893 sculptures History of New York City Cultural history of New York City American Revolution Sculptures by Frederick William MacMonnies