Belle Kinney Scholz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Belle Kinney Scholz
Born	Belle Marshall Kinney 1890 Nashville, Tennessee
Died	1959 (aged 68–69)
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Art Institute of Chicago
Known for	sculpture
Spouse(s)	Leopold Scholz

Belle Marshall Kinney Scholz (1890–1959) was an amazing American sculptor. She was born in Tennessee and created many beautiful artworks, mostly statues, before she passed away in New York.

The Life and Art of Belle Kinney Scholz

Growing Up and Early Talent

Belle Kinney was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She was one of four children. Her parents were Captain D.C. Kenny and Elizabeth Morrison Kenny.

Even as a child, Belle showed great artistic talent. When she was just seven years old, she won first prize at the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. She earned this award for a special sculpture, a "bust" (a sculpture of a person's head and shoulders) of her father.

Starting Her Sculpting Career

At age 15, Belle Kinney received a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago. This was a big achievement! There, she studied with a famous sculptor named Lorado Taft.

When she was 17, Belle got her first big job. She was asked to sculpt a statue of Jere Baxter. He was the person who started the Tennessee Central Railway.

After her studies, Belle opened her own art studio in Greenwich Village in New York City. This is where she met another sculptor, Leopold F. Scholz. He was from Austria.

Working Together and Famous Sculptures

Belle and Leopold fell in love and got married in 1921. They worked on many sculptures together. Their teamwork created some very important artworks.

One of their joint projects was the Victory statue. This statue is in the War Memorial Building in Nashville, Tennessee. They finished it in 1929.

They also created a bronze (metal) Victory figure for the World War I Memorial. This memorial is in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, New York City. They completed this in 1933.

Perhaps their most famous works together are two statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. This collection is inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.. These statues represent the state of Tennessee.

By 1948, Belle Kinney had a studio in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She passed away in 1959 at the age of 69 in Boiceville, New York.

Notable Works by Belle Kinney Scholz

Belle Kinney Scholz created many impressive sculptures throughout her life. Some of her most well-known pieces include:

Andrew Jackson (1927) and John Sevier (1931) at the U.S. Capitol, created with Leopold Scholz

• Bust of Richard Owen (1913): A sculpture of Richard Owen in Indianapolis. A copy is at Indiana University.
• Women of the Confederacy (1917): A monument in Jackson, Mississippi.
• Tennessee Monument to the Women of the Confederacy (1926): Another monument in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Jere Baxter statue (1907): Located at the Jere Baxter School in Nashville.
• Andrew Jackson statue (1927): Found in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol. She made this with Leopold Scholz.
• John Sevier statue (1931): Also in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol. This was another collaboration with Leopold Scholz.
• General Joseph E. Johnston statue (1912): Located in Dalton, Georgia.
• Admiral Albert Gleaves bust (1938): A bust in Annapolis, Maryland.
• Andrew Jackson bust: Found at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville.
• James K. Polk bust: Also at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville.
• John Ross bust (1958): Located at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• Alexander P. Stewart bust (1911): Also at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• Victory statue (1933): Part of the World War I Memorial in Pelham Bay Park, New York City. She created this with Leopold Scholz.
• Victory statue (1929): Located at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. Another work with Leopold Scholz.
• Pediment sculptures of the Nashville Parthenon (1920–30): These are large sculptures on the triangular part of the roof of the Nashville Parthenon. She worked on these with Leopold Scholz.
• Bronze bust of David Crockett (1950): Located in Trenton, Tennessee.