Created 1908 Owner Union Station | Year 1908 | |
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Dimensions 18 ft (5.5 m) each for 6 figures Similar Peace Monument, Ulysses S Grant Memorial, Daniel Webster Memorial, Victims of Communism Memorial, Japanese American Memorial | ||
The Progress of Railroading is group of public artworks by American artist Louis St. Gaudens. This series of six sculptures were cut by Andrew E. Bernasconi, a high-grade Italian stone workman, between 1909 and 1911. These statues are located at Union Station in Washington, D.C., United States. The sculptures represent deities related to rail transport in the United States.
Contents
Description
Six figures which stand at 18 feet high are on the main facade of the Union Station building. These granite sculptures are placed above three connected triumphal arches that make up the main entrance of the building. The six figures represent and mean:
The east and west figures are meant to deal with the operational system behind railroads and the center figures represent creativity.
The west section is inscribed:
FIRE - GREATEST OF DISCOVERIESENABLING MAN TO LIVE IN VARIOUS CLIMATESUSE MANY FOODS - AND COMPEL THEFORCES OF NATURE TO DO HIS WORKELECTRICITY - CARRIER OF LIGHT AND POWERDEVOURER OF TIME AND SPACE - BEAREROF HUMAN SPEECH OVER LAND AND SEAGREATEST SERVANT OF MAN - ITSELF UNKNOWNTHOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEETThe center is inscribed:
SWEETENER OF HUT AND OF HALLBRINGER OF LIFE OUT OF NAUGHTFREEDOM O FAIREST OF ALLTHE DAUGHTERS OF TIME AND THOUGHTMAN'S IMAGINATION HAS CONCEIVED ALLNUMBERS AND LETTERS ALL TOOLS VESSELSAND SHELTERS - EVERY ART AND TRADE ALLPHILOSOPHY AND POETRY - AND ALL POLITIESTHE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREEThe east side is inscribed:
THE FARM - BEST HOME OF THE FAMILY - MAINSOURCE OF NATIONAL WEALTH - FOUNDATION OFCIVILIZED SOCIETY - THE NATURAL PROVIDENCETHE OLD MECHANIC ARTS CONTROLLING NEWFORCES BUILD NEW HIGHWAYS FOR GOODSAND MEN OVERRIDE THE OCEAN AND MAKETHE VERY ETHER CARRY HUMAN THOUGHTTHE DESERT SHALL REJOICE AND BLOSSOMAS THE ROSETwo eagles also flank the left and right side of the arches.
Creation process
When the Station was being constructed debate erupted regarding "who" the figures would be or represent. Historical American figures were considered, however, they did not fit into the Baroque architecture of the building, therefore allegorical figures were chosen. Many people were consulted regarding what figures to have St. Gaudens sculpt including Charles W. Eliot, the former president of Harvard University.
Condition
The Progress of Railroading sculptures were surveyed in 1994 by the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program and was described as needing treatment.