Stephen Foster (sculpture) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stephen Foster |
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| Artist | Giuseppe Moretti |
| Year | 1900 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
The Stephen Foster sculpture is a famous bronze statue that used to be in Schenley Plaza in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was created by an artist named Giuseppe Moretti. This statue was once located near the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the University of Pittsburgh's Stephen Foster Memorial. It was one of Pittsburgh's most well-known, but also most talked-about, sculptures. The statue was removed on April 26, 2018, after a vote by the Pittsburgh Art Commission.
About the Stephen Foster Sculpture
What Does It Show?
The sculpture shows two figures. One is Stephen Collins Foster, a famous songwriter from Pittsburgh, sitting with a notebook. The other figure is an African American man sitting at Foster's feet, playing a banjo. This man is thought to represent "Uncle Ned," a character from one of Foster's songs. The entire sculpture, including its base, is about 14 feet tall.
Its Journey Through Time
The Stephen Foster statue was first put up in 1900 in Highland Park. Money for the statue was raised by the Pittsburgh Press newspaper, with nearly 50,000 people donating.
At the dedication ceremony, Victor Herbert, the new music director for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, led 3,000 school children in singing Foster's songs. Stephen Foster's daughter, Marion Foster Welch, officially revealed the statue.
The idea for the statue's design came from a group of important people, including banker Andrew W. Mellon. They wanted to honor Stephen Foster's song "Uncle Ned." Foster's brother, Morrison Foster, even posed for the artist, Giuseppe Moretti.
Years later, during the Great Depression, parts of the statue were broken off and likely sold for scrap metal. Because of this damage, Pittsburgh's mayor, Cornelius D. Scully, asked for the statue to be moved to a safer, more visible spot. During World War II, it was moved to Oakland's Schenley Plaza in 1944. It stood there for many years before its removal in 2018.
See also
