Sculptures Sites

"The Horse Tamers, by Frederick MacMonnies (1863-1937), is one of many sculpture groups in the outdoor collection of New York City’s parks. Dedicated in 1899, the Horse Tamers flank the Park Circle Entrance of Prospect Park... Horse Tamers is an allegory of the Triumph of Mind over Brute Strength. The sculptures depict nude young men riding bareback on rearing, unbridled horses. To achieve their great dynamic energy, MacMonnies sculpted the horses after live Andalusian models. The full-scale plaster models (no longer extant) were exhibited to great acclaim in the Parisian Salon of 1898 and at the Universal Exposition of 1900. One...

This sculpture by Djey el Djey, entitled "The Vanquished Race" (or "The Vanishing Race"), was commissioned by the WPA's Federal Arts Project (FAP) in 1936. It is located at Thomas Starr King Middle School in Los Angeles, CA. "Mr. Djey el Djey is an earnest young man, justly proud of this, his first real successful piece," noted a 1937 article in the Los Angeles School Journal. "'Vanquished Race' was of such merit that it was featured as the cover picture of an issue of the no New York magazine Art Digest. It was also reproduced in the London 'Studio' line with...

Timberline Lodge was built in 1936-38 as a ski lodge 6,000 feet up on Mount Hood, and it still serves that purpose.  It was equally a showcase for the accomplishments of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The four-story structure was built in Northwestern rustic style using large timbers and local stone, with a striking central "headhouse" built in a hexagon around a 90-foot stone chimney with large fireplaces on all sides. The interior is a marvel of decorative elements designed to feature Northwestern native and pioneer styles in wood carving, furniture, textiles, metal work, light fixtures, stone work and paintings. The interior decor...

Timberline Lodge was built in 1936-38 as a ski lodge 6,000 feet up on Mount Hood, and it still serves that purpose.  It was equally a showcase for the accomplishments of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The four-story structure was built in Northwestern rustic style using large timbers and local stone, with a striking central "headhouse" built in a hexagon around a 90-foot stone chimney with large fireplaces on all sides. The interior is a marvel of decorative elements designed to feature Northwestern native and pioneer styles in wood carving, furniture, textiles, metal work, light fixtures, stone work and paintings. The interior decor...

In 1938, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) developed the Totem Bight State Historical Park. The park, believed to be the site of an old Tlingit fish camp, was part of a larger U.S. Forest Service program focused on the restoration of totems and Native cultural assets. Located in Ketchikan, the site brings together totem carvings of the Tlingit and Haida people, gathered from uninhabited villages. As barter declined and non-Native settlements proliferated, Alaska Natives began to abandon their villages in remote forest areas and move in search of employment. The settlements and totem art they left behind began to deteriorate. In the late...

The Blackfish Pole is the reproduction of a Tlingit pole that was located in front of Forested Island House on Tongass Island. The pole tells the story of the origin of blackfish (killer whale). This Tlingit heralding totem is a reproduction carved by Charles Brown and a crew of apprentice carvers. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics of the carving: “The Raven, carved with the dorsal fin of the blackfish extending above him, is a special crest. The tiny face on each blackfish represents the blowhole; the human figure represents the...

The Eagle Grave Market Pole is a totem carved in the 1930s by John Wallace. The original was located in the old village of Howkan. The carving found today at the Totem Bight State Historical Park was reproduced from memory by John Wallace. Wallace’s carving has a Chilkat blanket, which is an uncommon detail for this type of totem, and was not present in the original design. The totem is 10’ high and has a 42” base below ground. The design of the blanket evokes clouds, mountains, and the symbolic characters that live in the forest. The photographic material published here...

A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “The fabled bird called Kadjuk, which is the special crest of the head of Kadjuk people of the Raven clan, is at the top of this Tlingit pole that was copied from Cat Island. The undecorated space separating the bird from the other figures symbolizes the lofty habitat of the bird and the high regard in which the crest is held. Raven is the next figure, with his breast forming the headdress of his wife, Fog Woman. She holds two...

This pole was carved at Totem Bight by Charles Brown in the late 1930s. It is a reproduction of a Tlingit pole from Tongass Island. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “The bear and paw prints symbolize Kats’ wife. Kats is a character of Tlingit mythology that lived for a time with a female grizzly bear as his wife. In 1985, Israel Shotridge carved a replica of the bear that replaced the bear carved by Brown.”

The Man Wearing Bear Hat is a reproduction of a Tlingit grave marker or mortuary pole from Cat Island. According to a 2013 Department of Natural Resources Master Development Plan for Totem Bight, the totem represents “a man of the Bear clan wearing a large carved wooden hat surmounted by a bear’s head. Such a hat was worn at a potlatch or other important occasions during which stories were told or dramatized. Charles Brown carved the first copy of this pole in the late 1930s. Israel Shotridge carved a second replica in 1995. “

The Master Carver Pole pole was carved by John Wallace in 1941. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “It was customary on Haida poles to carve the crests of husband and wife. The eagle on the top of this pole is one of the main crests of the Haida Eagle Clan, the clan to which Wallace belonged. The beaver and bullhead
on the pole are also Eagle Clan symbols. The pole additionally includes the opposite crest of the Raven Clan, represented by the raven, bear, blackfish, and...

This Tlingit heralding totem is a reproduction carved by Charles Brown and a crew of apprentice carvers. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics of the carving: “The top figure is a shaman in ceremonial garb, headdress, and fringed leather apron. The figures carved under the shaman depict a series of adventures including the story of the Chief’s Nephew Who Fed Eagles and the story of a woman with a frog husband and children. Near the bottom of the pole, Brown carved one of the many stories about Raven as ‘the trickster.’...

The Raven at the Head of Nass Pole was carved by Charles Brown with the assistance of a team of Civilian Conservation Corps Native carvers. This totem is a reproduction of a Tlingit pole 
located on Tongass Island. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “The top figure on this pole is a chief wearing a spruce root hat. The figure at the bottom of the pole is Raven-at- the-head-of-Nass, from whom Raven stole daylight. The human above Raven-at-the-head-of-Nass represents the ancestors of the Raven clan who...

This Sea Monster Pole was carved by John Wallace circa 1939-1939. It is the reproduction of a totem from the now-uninhabited Haida village of Klinkwan on Prince of Wales
Island. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “A village watchman stands guard at the top of the pole, just above two eagle crests and symbols representing clouds and mountains, the place of eagles. Below these are figures representing the world under the sea—blackfish holding a seal, a sea monster, and a devilfish (octopus) in the act of devouring...

The Halibut Pole is a Tlingit pole that honors the Halibut House people of the Nexadi clan. According to a nomination form of the National Register of Historic Places, the Halibut is the only pole at Totem Bight that is an old original. Relocated from the Tlingit village of Tuxekan on the Prince of Wales Island, the pole was reconditioned and re-erected at Totem Bight. It was housed at the park until 1970, after which it was relocated to the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan. The replica of the bottomfish (halibut) at the top of an undecorated post that can...

A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “This pole illustrates the mythological conception of thunder. A huge bird that lives on the tops of the highest mountains, the thunderbird, creates thunder by beating its wings, and lightening by blinking its eyes. The thunderbird was said to live in the mountains and come down to prey on whales. The whale at the base of the pole symbolizes the mountaintop where the bird rests before devouring his prey and it is said that whale bones can be found on...

The Thunderer’s Pole is the reproduction of a pole that once stood at Tongass Island. It was carved by Native craftsmen in the late 1930s at Totem Bight for the Civilian Conservation Corps restoration program. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics and history of the totem: “This Tlingit pole symbolizes thunder, and belongs to the Thunder House people. It depicts four brothers belonging to the Wolf moiety who were changed into Thunderers, mythical beings who live in the sky and on the mountaintops and create thunder and lightning.”

The Village Watchman Poles are part of the structure of the clan house at Totem Bight. This is one of two identical posts that mark the corners the structure, flanking the entry facade. Sitting on the corner posts, a man figure wearing a spruce root hat and a crest design on his face, holds a cane and appears ready for a dance or potlatch. This pole was carved by Charles Brown at Totem Bight for the Civilian Conservation Corps restoration program. The photographic material published here by the Living New Deal was provided by courtesy of Linn A. Forrest (1905-1986), a practicing architect...

The Village Watchman Poles are part of the structure of the clan house at Totem Bight. This is one of two identical posts that mark the corners the structure, flanking the entry facade. Sitting on the corner posts, a man figure wearing a spruce root hat and a crest design on his face, holds a cane and appears ready for a dance or potlatch. This pole was carved by Charles Brown at Totem Bight for the Civilian Conservation Corps restoration program. The photographic material published here by the Living New Deal was provided by courtesy of Linn A. Forrest (1905-1986), a practicing...

The Wandering Raven House Entrance Pole is the central totem that decorates the façade and marks the entrance of the clan house at Totem Bight. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics of the carving: “The pole against the front of the house is called Wandering Raven, named for the legendary Raven carved as the top figure. Raven can be recognized by his straight black beak. Underneath Raven and at his feet is a carved box containing daylight. Below a mink and a frog, the standing figure of a man, Natsihline, represents the...

The Tumacácori National Monument was set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 to protect the ruins of the Mission of San Jose de Tumacacori.  In 1918, it came under the administration of the National Park Service and its regional 'custodian', Frank Pinkley.  Congress created the Tumacácori National Historic Park in 1990, adding the ruins of two nearby missions, Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi and San Cayetano de Calabazas. Under the park service's guidance, Tumacácori mission church and its dependencies were stabilized in 1920-21, but intentionally not restored.  Only with the aid of the New Deal did the park come to...

The Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior building contains one of the largest collections of New Deal art in Washington DC, by some of the finest American artists of the time.  Two statues in exterior Court EE, outside the cafeteria, are by Maurice Glickman, "Negro Mother and Child," and Louis Slobodkin, "Abe Lincoln".  Both are in bronze with a black serpentine base and stand around 10 feet tall, including the base. Both are done in an Art Deco style. The statues were commissioned under the Public Works of Art Project and installed by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts in 1940. The...

These two limestone sculptures "Asclepius" and "Hygeia" were created by Edouard Chassaing in 1938 with the help of WPA Federal Art Project funds.

This 3'6" x 5' sculpture entitled the "Spirit of Medicine Warding Off Disease" was created with Federal Art Project funds and has been relocated multiple times.

Two 4' high classical style sculptures flank the entrance to Grawemeyer Hall. They were built in 1939 with WPA Federal Art Project funding. The artist is unknown.

From the New Deal Art Registry: "At the Valencia Gardens Housing Project, Beniamino Bufano's glistening statue of a mother bear nursing two cubs, in smooth red granite, is a joy to the eye. Nearby are two granite seals, a granite cat with a mouse, and a granite butterfly."

"At the Valencia Gardens Housing Project, Bufano's glistening statue of a mother bear nursing two cubs, in smooth red granite, is a joy to the eye. Nearby are two granite seals, a granite cat with a mouse, and a granite butterfly." -Nob Hill Gazette

The WPA built these two stone memorials in 1936. Whether they were both originally at this site is unclear, but they are now both on the lawn of the American Legion hall. The listed date is for the smaller of the two monuments.

The Washington at Valley Forge memorial is an equestrian statue of George Washington   (1732–1799), Commander in Chief and first President of the United States (1789–97), sculpted by Henry Merwin Shrady in 1901.  It is the centerpiece of Brooklyn’s Continental Army Plaza. In the 1930s, the memorial was restored with New Deal funding, initially from the Public Works of Art Project and later by the WPA.  The work was overseen by Karl Gruppe, chief sculptor of the Monument Restoration Project of the New York City Parks Department from 1934 to 1937.  The restoration work was filmed and can be found here. The sculpture and...

This bust of Washington Irving has an interesting history: "In the late 1800s to early 1900s, a large bronze bust of Washington Irving, mounted on a granite pedestal, stood in the south side of Bryant Park. The author of “Sleepy Hollow” and many other works, Irving was one of the first American writers to gain international acclaim. The statue was donated to the City of New York in 1885 by Joseph Weiner, a German physician and admirer of Irving’s. Sculpted by artist Friedrich Beers, the bust was originally intended for placement in Central Park. Upon completion some members of the NYC...

This large bronze and marble memorial in Bryant Park commemorates the 19th c. poet and journalist William Cullen Bryant. The statue was created by Herbert Adams in 1911. In the 1930s, the it was restored with federal funding under Karl Gruppe, "chief sculptor of the Monument Restoration Project of the New York City Parks Department, from 1934 to 1937." The program was initially supported by federal funding from the Public Works of Art Project (Lowrey, 2008), and later by the WPA.

The Wood Art Gallery in Montpelier, Vermont was the recipient of "W.P.A. Fedaral Art sculpture and paintings" in 1937. The works are "on permanent loan from the U.S. government."

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) carved the Yax-te Totem, as part of a restoration program that lasted approximately between 1938 and 1942. The program was part of a larger U.S. Forest Service effort to employ Alaska Natives and conserve totems and Native cultural assets. U.S. Forest Service architect Linn A. Forrest oversaw the joint program of the Forest Service and the CCC throughout Southeast Alaska. The Yax-te Totem, also known as the Big Dipper Totem, was carved by Frank St. Clair, who was a Tlingit carver from Hoonah, and two CCC enrollees circa 1939-1941. In the early 1990s, after it was damaged...