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Title
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Liberty Statue
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Description
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What was, for a short time, the United States' first Statue of Liberty, was meant to be sculpted from Vermont marble. The plaster model, crafted by Franzoni, served as the central exhibit in the Hall of Representatives. Numerous design selections diverged from the original concept to the version modeled in 1814. Positioned between two columns and behind the speaker's chair, Liberty is depicted seated in a chair, exceeding eight feet in height, and attired in a Greek-style gown. A bald eagle, a detail mandated by Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Franzoni, is situated on Liberty's left side atop a rock. The U.S. Constitution is displayed in her right hand, while her left holds the Cap of Liberty. Her foot rests upon an inverted crown, symbolizing the rejection of monarchy. The British Burning of Washington destroyed the model that same summer in 1814.
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Coordinates
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United States Capitol, Washington, DC 20004
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Location
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National Statuary Hall, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.
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Note
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Franzoni created the plastor model according to Benjamin Henry Latrobe's plans. Those plans, as discussed in Latrobe's letters, are the only images we have of what the sculpture would have looked like. The design is not related to Enrico Cusici's Liberty and the Eagle Sculpture that is presently in the National Sculpture Hall. There are no images of the finished model, but a recreation based on Latrobe's letters was created in 2011.
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Abstract
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Giuseppe Franzoni was meant to carve his Liberty Statue from Vermont marble for the Hall of Representatives following 1814; however, he died in 1815. His plaster model was destroyed mere months after its completion in 1814 during the British Burning of Washington. The sculpture was intended to depict Lady Liberty alongside symbols of America.
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Creator
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Giuseppe Franzoni
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Date
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1814
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Medium
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Plaster|Vermont Marble
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Date Modified
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1814
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Subject
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Lady Liberty
