James A Garfield
A memorial to President James A. Garfield, elected in 1880 and assassinated
in 1881 by a disgruntled office-seeker named Charles J. Guiteau after serving
only four months of his term.
The monument was sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward (1830-1910)
It was unveiled on May 12, 1887. Today it stands as part of a three-part
sculptural group including the Peace Monument and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial.
The memorial was commissioned in 1884 by the Society of the Army of the Cumberland,
of which Garfield had been a member. The Society raised almost $28,000 to pay
the sculptor. Some of the funds were raised by The Garfield Monument Fair,
which was held in the Rotunda and Statuary Hall in 1882.
The tapered, cylindrical granite pedestal holds four over-life-size bronze figures,
with the portrait statue of President James A. Garfield at the top and three allegorical figures
representing different phases of his career below. The top-coated figure,
depicted as if giving a speech, gazes intently outward, a sheaf of papers in
his left hand, his right resting on a book on a draped column.
Below him, the young Student, draped in a sheep skin, suggests Garfield's early work as a
teacher.
The bearded, middle-aged Warrior, wearing a wolf skin, represents
Garfield's Saxon ancestry and his military career during the Civil War.
The older Statesman, dressed in a toga and holding a tablet inscribed "Law/Justice/Prosperity,"
symbolizes Garfield's achievements as Congressman, Senator, and President.
For more information see links below
Architect of the Capitol
Wikipedia
This site maintained by
Invatol
houstonkelley.com - all rights reserved
Contact Us
