Statue of Benjamin Franklin (Columbus, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Benjamin Franklin |
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The statue in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic
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| Artist | James P. Anderson |
| Year | 1974 |
| Medium | Bronze sculpture |
| Subject | Benjamin Franklin |
| Dimensions | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| Location | Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| 39°57′16″N 83°00′00″W / 39.954425°N 82.999865°W | |
The Benjamin Franklin statue is a bronze sculpture made in 1974. It shows Benjamin Franklin, a famous American leader. You can find this statue inside the Franklin County Government Center in Columbus, Ohio.
The artist who created this statue is James P. Anderson. It was made in a town called Pietrasanta, Italy.
Contents
What Does the Benjamin Franklin Statue Look Like?
This statue is very tall, standing about 12 feet high. It was created by the sculptor James P. Anderson. The statue shows Benjamin Franklin wearing a cloak. He is holding the cloak open to show the typical clothes of a statesman from colonial times.
The statue was first planned to be outside the government center. It was meant to stand on a large granite base. This spot was just north of the Franklin County Hall of Justice. Now, the statue is located a short distance away. It is inside a glass entrance area of the Hall of Justice building.
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A close-up view of the statue.
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The plaque with information about the statue.
How Was the Benjamin Franklin Statue Made?
The statue was created in 1974. Its cost was about $50,000 in 1972. Money for the statue was raised by groups like the Columbus Bar Association. James Anderson was a professor at Muskingum College. He visited cities like Boston and Philadelphia to study other statues of Franklin.
Anderson finished the statue while he was in Italy. It was cast at a place called the Luigi Tommasi Foundry in Pietrasanta. This town is famous for sculptors. While in Italy, Anderson saw other famous statues of Franklin. These included works by Jean-Antoine Houdon and Jean-Jacques Caffieri.
The Lost-Wax Casting Method
The statue was made using a method called lost-wax casting. First, a steel frame was covered with clay to form the shape. Then, a negative mold was made from the clay model. After that, a wax copy was created from the mold.
This wax copy was then covered in plaster. It was baked in a hot oven called a kiln. As it baked, the wax melted and drained away. Then, hot melted bronze was poured into the empty space.
The statue was made in 18 separate pieces. These pieces were carefully welded together by a skilled worker. This person also smoothed the metal and gave it a warm brown color. This was the largest statue James Anderson had made at that time.
Other Copies and Dedication
While in Italy, Anderson also oversaw the making of three bronze copies of the statue. He also made 50 smaller head studies. One bronze copy went to Muskingum College. Another went to the Columbus Foundation. Many head studies were given as gifts to people who helped with the project.
The statue was officially revealed on September 9, 1974. This happened at the same time the Hall of Justice building was dedicated.
In 2011, another artwork joined the statue in the lobby. This was a 10-foot-tall portrait of Franklin called Man of Characters. It was a gift from Ron Pizzuti's family. This artwork shows Franklin as he appears on the $100 bill. The lines that make up his image are actually words from Franklin's own writings.
Images for kids
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The statue when it was placed outside, around 1974.
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The statue surrounded by plants, around 1974.
