Statue of Sam Houston (Ney) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sam Houston |
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The statue in the National Statuary Hall Collection
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| Artist | Elisabet Ney |
| Year | 1905 |
| Medium | Marble sculpture |
| Subject | Sam Houston |
| Dimensions | 210 cm (82.5 in) |
| Location | National Statuary Hall Collection, Washington, D.C., United States |
The Sam Houston statue is a famous sculpture of Sam Houston. It was created by the artist Elisabet Ney. This statue was first designed in 1892 and then put on display in 1905. It is now part of the National Statuary Hall Collection inside the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.. It is one of two statues representing the state of Texas there.
The other Texas statue, Stephen F. Austin, was also made by Elisabet Ney around the same time. You can find another copy of the Sam Houston statue in the Texas State Capitol building. It was placed there in 1903.
Contents
How the Sam Houston Statue Was Made
Creating the First Models
In early 1892, the Texas government was getting ready for a big event. They were preparing for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This was a huge fair where states showed off their best things. The governor of Texas, Oran Milo Roberts, suggested that a special women's group, who were raising money for the exhibit, talk to Elisabet Ney. She was a German-American sculptor living in Austin, Texas.
After meeting, Ney was asked to sculpt statues of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin for the exhibit. The group did not have money to pay her, but Ney agreed to do the work anyway.
From Clay to Public Display
Elisabet Ney started working on the Sam Houston statue first. By April 1892, she had finished a clay model of the statue. She invited Sam Houston's family and friends to see it. They wanted to make sure it looked just like him.
By July of that year, a plaster version of the Houston statue was ready. A plaster model is like a strong, white copy of the clay one. This statue was shown to the public in Ney's art studio. Today, her studio is the Elisabet Ney Museum. After this, the statue was sent to Chicago for the big Exposition.
Statues for Texas and the Nation
The statue of Stephen F. Austin was finished too late for the Chicago Exposition. However, the Houston statue was very popular. The Exposition's Art Commission even offered it a special spot in the main art building.
After the Exposition, Ney and the women's group wanted to make marble copies of both the Houston and Austin statues. They wanted these copies to be permanently displayed in the Texas State Capitol. But it took many years to get the money needed for this.
In 1901, the Texas Legislature finally approved the money to carve the statues. Both statues were officially shown in the Texas Capitol on January 19, 1903. An extra copy of each statue was made for the National Statuary Hall Collection. These copies were put on display in the United States Capitol in 1905.
What the Sam Houston Statue Looks Like
Details of the Sculpture
The Sam Houston statue is a full-size sculpture made from marble. It shows Sam Houston standing on slightly uneven ground. His right foot is forward, and he is looking up and into the distance. His right hand is held across his chest. His left hand rests on the handle of a saber (a type of sword) hanging at his left hip.
The statue shows Houston as a young pioneer. He is wearing fringed buckskins (clothing made from deerskin) and boots that reach his calves. A Native American sarape (a type of blanket) is draped over his left shoulder. The front of the marble base, where the figure stands, has "SAM HOUSTON" carved into it.
Authentic Details and Artist's Vision
To make the statue very real, Elisabet Ney borrowed Houston's actual saber from his daughter, Maggie Williams. She made sure the weapon in the statue looked exactly like the real one. The sarape was also a careful copy of a blanket Houston often wore. Ney found a similar blanket to use as a guide.
Some people wondered why the Houston statue was 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall, but the Austin statue was only 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm). Ney explained that these were the actual heights of the men. She famously said that if anyone had a problem with the heights, they should "take the issue up not with her but with God."
See also
In Spanish: Estatua de Sam Houston (Ney) para niños
