William Tecumseh Sherman (Saint-Gaudens) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids William Tecumseh Sherman Victory
The sculptures in 2016
Artist	Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Year	1902 (1902)
Type	Sculpture
Medium	Bronze
Subject	William Tecumseh Sherman
Location	New York City, New York, U.S.
Coordinates	40°45′52″N 73°58′24″W / 40.7645°N 73.9732°W / 40.7645; -73.9732

The William Tecumseh Sherman sculpture is also known as the Sherman Memorial or Sherman Monument. It honors William Tecumseh Sherman, a famous general. The artwork was created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. You can find it at Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan, New York City.

This large monument was made in 1902 and officially shown to the public on May 30, 1903. It is made of bronze and covered in gold, which is called "gilded." The monument has two main parts. One is an equestrian statue of General Sherman, meaning he is shown riding a horse. The other part is a statue called Victory. This is a female figure that represents the Greek goddess Nike, who was the goddess of victory. Both statues stand on a strong stone base called a pedestal. This pedestal was designed by the architect Charles Follen McKim.

History of the Sherman Monument
A Look at the Sculpture
Sherman Monument on Coins
Gallery
See also

History of the Sherman Monument

Plaza Redesign and Statue Move in 1913

A newspaper owner named Joseph Pulitzer passed away in 1911. He left $50,000 in his will to build a special fountain. He wanted this fountain to look like the famous ones in Paris, France. In December 1912, the people in charge of Pulitzer's money announced the fountain's location. It would be in the plaza between 58th Street and 60th Street, near Fifth Avenue. This was the same plaza where the Sherman Monument had been since 1903.

Five architecture companies were asked to compete to design the fountain. They also had to plan how the whole plaza would look. In January 1913, the designs were shown at the New York Public Library. The winning design came from Carrère and Hastings. Their plan put the new fountain in the southern part of the plaza. The Sherman Monument stayed in the northern part. However, it was moved about 15 feet west. This made it line up perfectly with the new fountain.

Building the new plaza started in 1915. By November, a newspaper reported that the Pulitzer Fountain was finished. It was "bubbling with the purest Croton water." The newspaper also noted that work on the northern part of the plaza was slower. This was because of subway construction happening nearby.

Becoming a Landmark in 1974

On May 30, 1974, an important group called the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a meeting. They wanted to make Grand Army Plaza, including the Sherman Monument, a "Scenic Landmark." This means it's a special place that needs to be protected because of its history and beauty. The plan was approved on July 23, 1974.

Restoration Work from 1985 to 1990

On March 26, 1985, two groups, the Central Park Conservancy and Buttrick White & Burtis, showed their plans. They wanted to completely fix up the plaza and the Sherman Monument. They presented these plans to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The restoration work was finished in June 1990. During this time, the statue was covered in new gold leaf, a process called "re-gilding." Also, a palm frond (a leaf) and a sword that had been missing from the statue were replaced.

Another Restoration in 2013

The Grand Army Plaza got another update in 2013. As part of this work, the statue of William Tecumseh Sherman was re-gilded again. This helped keep its golden shine.

A Look at the Sculpture

A sculptor named John Quincy Adams Ward once shared his thoughts on the Sherman Monument. He felt that Saint-Gaudens, the artist, was not very good at riding horses. Ward joked that "if the horse should stumble the general would inevitably be thrown over his head." This was his way of saying the horse's pose looked a bit unsteady.

Sherman Monument on Coins

The 1907 Saint-Gaudens double eagle portraying Liberty is based on his statue of Victory

The Victory statue from the Sherman Monument also inspired a famous coin. The front side of the 1907 United States Saint-Gaudens double eagle coin shows a figure of Liberty. This image was based on Saint-Gaudens' sculpture of Victory.

Gallery

This 1863 design shows a planned fountain. This was before the plaza was made bigger to 58th Street.
This 1868 map of Central Park includes the spot where the Sherman Monument would later be built.
This 1869 map of the plaza shows a place for a clock tower. This was near where the Sherman statue was placed in 1903.
A view of the Sherman Monument around 1908-1915. This was before the Grand Army Plaza was fully created.
Thomas Hasting's 1913 plan for the plaza. It shows the Sherman statue moved to the northern (upper) half.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the artist who sculpted the monument, photographed in 1905.
Architect Charles Follen McKim designed the base (pedestal) of the monument.
A close-up view of the Monument's pedestal.
The southeast side of the monument.
A view looking southwest towards Central Park South.