Frederick Keep Monument facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frederick Keep Monument
Artist	James Earle Fraser
Year	1920 (1920)
Type	Bronze
Dimensions	260 cm × 162 cm × 55 cm (102 in × 63.6 in × 21.6 in)
Location	Washington, D.C., United States
Coordinates	38°56′48.63″N 77°0′42.32″W / 38.9468417°N 77.0117556°W / 38.9468417; -77.0117556
Owner	Rock Creek Cemetery

Frederick Keep Monument is a public sculpture created by American artist James Earle Fraser. You can find it at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C., United States. This artwork marks the grave of Frederick and Florence Keep, along with their child. In 1993, the Smithsonian included it in their Save Outdoor Sculpture! project.

About the Sculpture

This beautiful sculpture shows a man and a woman made of bronze. They stand on a low, rectangular base. The woman has both arms raised, with her hands resting on her shoulders. The man stands close to her left side, with his right arm behind her.

What the Figures Look Like

Both figures are bare-chested. They wear loose, Roman-style clothes that are rolled at the waist. They also have Roman sandals on their feet. The woman has a cape over the back of her head and looks down. The man looks out into the distance. They stand in front of a narrow wall made of granite.

Signatures and Markings

You can find the artist's signature, "J. E. FRASER," on the lower right side of the sculpture. On the lower left side, it says "Kunst-Foundry N.Y." This tells us where it was made.

The back of the granite base has important information carved into it:

• FREDERIC A. KEEP

  DIED JUNE 2, 1911

  AGE 53 YEARS

• FLORENCE SHEFFIELD BOARDMAN KEEP

  DIED JAN 26, 1954

  AGE 89 YEARS

• INFANT OF F AND F. KEEP

  DIED OCT. 6, 1902

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  Front view of the monument.

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  Close-up of the female figure.

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  Close-up of the male figure.

When the Sculpture Was Placed

The Frederick Keep Monument was put in place around October 3, 1920.

Who Were the Keeps?

Frederick Keep was a well-known businessman in Washington, D.C. His wife, Florence, came from an important family. Her sister, Mabel Thorp Boardman, helped start the American Red Cross. Another sister, Josephine Porter Boardman, was a famous socialite. Florence's father, William J. Boardman, was a lawyer and gave a lot to charity. He is also buried in the same cemetery.

Florence Keep's Life

Florence loved to travel. She often went to places like Panama and New Orleans with her sister Josephine. She was also very social and knew many important people. These included Secretary of State John Hay, Agnes Meyer, Katharine Graham, and even President and Mrs. Taft. Florence also donated some of her personal items to the National Museum of American History. This included an evening dress from the 1920s, which was shown in an exhibit from 1964 to 1973.

Condition of the Sculpture

In 1993, experts checked the sculpture's condition. They noted that it needed some care to keep it in good shape.

Images for kids

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  Another view of the Frederick Keep Monument.