Lafayette Memorial facts for kids
Lafayette Memorial (2021)
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Coordinates | 40°39′52″N 73°58′35.7″W / 40.66444°N 73.976583°W |
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| Location | Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States |
| Designer | Daniel Chester French (sculptor) Henry Bacon (architect) |
| Fabricator | Gorham foundry Presbrey-Coykendall Company |
| Length | 9 feet (2.7 m) |
| Width | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Height | 19 feet (5.8 m) |
| Dedicated to | Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette |
The Lafayette Memorial is a special public monument located in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in New York City. It was created by sculptor Daniel Chester French and architect Henry Bacon. This memorial was officially opened in 1917. It features a bas-relief, which is a type of sculpture that sticks out slightly from a flat surface. This relief shows Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette with a groom and a horse. Some historians believe the groom might be James Armistead Lafayette.
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The Story Behind the Lafayette Memorial
The idea for this memorial came from Henry Harteau, an important person from Brooklyn. When he passed away in 1895, his will (a legal document about what happens to your belongings) said that after his wife died, $35,000 should be used. This money was meant to build a statue honoring Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette in Prospect Park. Harteau had been a parks commissioner for Brooklyn before.
Even with some legal challenges and the joining of New York City into a bigger city, the plan moved forward. When Harteau's wife died in 1913, work began to create the monument. Harteau wanted the statue to be based on a famous painting called Lafayette at Yorktown by Jean-Baptiste le Paon.
Designing the Monument
Daniel Chester French, a well-known sculptor, was chosen to design the monument. Henry Bacon worked as the architect, designing the structure around the sculpture. French created the relief sculpture, and Bacon designed its frame.
In 1915, French's design was approved by the Municipal Art Commission. By late 1916, a model was ready to be cast in bronze. However, there was a delay because they couldn't find enough molding sand. This pushed back the dedication until the next year. French worked on the monument for about a year and a half. The bronze part was made by the Gorham foundry. The granite stone for the frame came from the Presbrey-Coykendall Company, which also managed the whole building project.
Dedication and Celebrations
The Lafayette Memorial was officially dedicated on May 10, 1917. This happened during World War I. Marshal of France Joseph Joffre unveiled the monument. Former Prime Minister of France René Viviani gave a speech at the ceremony. Both were in New York as part of the French War Commission.
One hundred years later, on May 10, 2017, the monument had its centennial celebration. Anne-Claire Legedre, the consul-general of France in New York City, led the event.
What the Lafayette Memorial Looks Like
The memorial is made of a bronze relief set into a frame of Stony Creek granite. The granite frame looks like Italian Renaissance architecture.
Details of the Sculpture
The bronze relief shows Lafayette looking forward. His left hand is on his hip, and his right hand holds a thin sword that touches the ground. He has a tricorne (a three-cornered hat) under his left arm. Lafayette is wearing the uniform of a major general.
Next to Lafayette is an African American groom. The groom is wearing a military uniform with a cockade (a ribbon decoration) and a feather in his hat. A blanket or cloak is draped over one of his shoulders. To the right of the figures, there is a magnolia tree. A pine branch lies on the ground.
The bronze relief itself is about 10 feet (3 meters) tall and 13 feet (4 meters) wide. The entire monument, including the granite frame, is about 19 feet (5.8 meters) tall. It is 22 feet (6.7 meters) wide and 9 feet (2.7 meters) deep. You can find the memorial at the Ninth Street entrance to Prospect Park.
Inscriptions on the Memorial
The memorial has important words carved into it:
THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE [---] THIS MONUMENT WAS / ERECTED AND PRESENTED BY HENRY HARTEAU A DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF BROOKLYN TO BE AN / ENDURING TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF ONE WHO AS / A FRIEND AND COMPANION OF THE IMMORTAL WASH INGTON FOUGHT TO ESTABLISH IN OUR COUNTRY / THOSE VITAL PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY AND HUMAN / BROTHERHOOD WHICH HE AFTERWARD LABORED TO ESTABLISH IN HIS OWN
THIS MEMORIAL WAS UNVEILED AND DEDICATED BY / MARSHALL JOFFRE AND M. VIVANI OF THE FRENCH / WAR COMMISSION, MAY 10, 1917
Who is the Groom?
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation notes that there's a discussion among experts about the identity of the person next to Lafayette in the original painting. Some believe it is James Armistead Lafayette. He was an enslaved African American who worked as a spy for Lafayette during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, Lafayette helped him gain his freedom. Armistead then took "Lafayette" as his last name to show his respect.
A 2016 article stated that the painting definitely shows Armistead. However, the parks department points out that neither the painter nor the sculptor mentioned Armistead in their writings about their work. They say the evidence that the painting or memorial shows Armistead is "inconclusive."
