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Daniel Chester French was an American sculptor who worked during the Gilded Age and quickly rose to prominence due to his realistic depictions of various figures. Unlike many other artists and writers at the time, French was born into an affluent and powerful family, which allowed for his extensive training in painting, anatomy and sculpture in the United States and Florence. Fitting with the Gilded Age theme of a nationalistic aim and a post-Civil War pride, many of French’s sculptures connect with the themes which were important at the time, a renown and ability he was only able to gain due to the influence of those who inspired him to begin working in art and those who gave him the training and inspiration to develop his own unique style of sculpture.
French’s life and initiation into the artistic side of the Gilded Age was one which was largely due to a combination of chance occurrences and the luck of having very few obstacles in life. The first key event which propelled Daniel Chester French into the artistic profession was his family’s move to Concord, Massachusetts. Although not intended by the French family, they lived very near the home of Louisa May Alcott (who famously authored “Little Men”) and her sister Abigail May Alcott, who was an artist. Abigail May Alcott inspired the young Daniel Chester French to go into art, which prompted him to become a sculptor later in his life. After his initial influence from Abigail May Alcott, French received much inspiration and influence from his teachers both in the United States and in Florence. Studying painting with William Morris Hunt and anatomy with William Rimmer, Daniel Chester French found that his heart lay with sculpture, which led him to study in Florence with the American sculptor Thomas Ball. After receiving many commissions in his early life, Daniel Chester French spent much of his later life working on larger sculptural commissions with other artists, amongst which was the sculptor Edward Clark Potter. One of the most famous sculptures created in the fruitful collaboration between French and Potter was the statue of George Washington atop a horse, which sits in the Place d’léna in Paris. In this statue, which draws inspiration from the style of Roman and Quattrocento Italy portrayals of military and/or political leaders atop horses, George Washington has a gaze which looks upward and holds his sword up, which seems to indicate that he is riding into battle. The majestic stance which George Washington strikes, combined with the fact that he has a calm look on his face, indicates his leadership qualities. This equestrian statue of George Washington does not fully align with the typical sculptures created by Daniel Chester French before his collaboration with Edward Clark Potter. However, by working with another artist, we can see that French’s sculpture style changes following these collaborations to reflect positive aspects of another artist’s style. By working with other artists, Daniel Chester French was able to gain inspiration from the way they worked and their distinctive style, and he could then implement this in works he created himself. The style of his teachers, especially that of Thomas Ball, is also clearly seen in French’s works, which demonstrates the ability of French to mix various influences from his colleagues, teachers and even neighbors.
During the Gilded Age, many Americans – especially those from the North – developed a growing pride in the Civil War victory and its success at unifying the nation, which gave way to a wave of depictions of those who fought in the Civil War and led to a growing sense of nationalistic identity. Many of Daniel Chester French’s sculptures are related to the Civil War in some way, and they often – much like the equestrian statue of Washington in Paris – celebrate famous Union leaders and their role in keeping the nation together. One of these celebratory works is the Commodore Hamilton Perkins monument, the sculpture of Commodore Hamilton Perkins having been created by Daniel Chester French. In order to celebrate the general’s success, the statue is very large and seems to tower above spectators. Commodore George Hamilton Perkins has an upward gaze – which symbolizes his positive outlook and seems to suggest bravery and leadership – and he leans on his long sword. The fact that Commodore George Hamilton Perkins (in the sculpture) has his hat taken off and has his sword held at the side suggests that he is celebrating a victory and is likely no longer in a battle. The depiction of Commodore George Hamilton Perkins creates for viewers a sense of aspiration, and makes Perkins seem like a brave, courageous and strong man who was willing to serve the nation. Through delicately crafting the sculpture of Commodore George Hamilton Perkins, French is able to create a sense of awe and admiration towards a victorious Union Civil War hero, exemplifying the Gilded Age theme of post-Civil War reflection and pride.
The prominent theme of post-Civil War pride, however, was not only seen in Gilded Age society through the recognition and admiration of true Civil War heroes, but also in the creation of works which served essentially as allegories for various values which the Civil War had given the American people. Daniel Chester French became a master of showing the key values which Civil War soldiers and heroes had and which many aspired to gain themselves during the Civil War. In addition, French’s sculptures often fit in with the growing sense of nationalism and patriotism during the Gilded Age: a sense which largely arose due to Civil War strife and its resolution in reuniting the nation. One of French’s most famous sculptures, “The Minute Man,” perfectly expresses Civil War values and the growing sense of patriotism which rose to the centre of American identity during the Gilded Age. In the sculpture of “The Minute Man,” Daniel Chester French does not attempt to depict a specific soldier or general. Instead, the man depicted is simply fictional, and acts as a way to show the post-Civil War reflective value of being willing to fight for one’s country and being patriotic. The man shown in “The Minute Man” appears to be a farmer, as seen by the plow which he holds, but in his other hand he holds a gun, and his overall stance seems to suggest that he is leaving his plow (i.e. his occupation) in order to fight in the Civil War and reunite the nation. This emphasizes a key value and theme during the Civil War – being willing to stop what one was doing or working on to protect one’s nation. The Gilded Age relived and revived these themes from the Civil War, which helps to explain the prominence of this theme within art such as that of Daniel Chester French. In addition, the willingness to defend and fight for one’s country reflects on the growing sense of nationalism which rose as a result of the North and South being reunited by the Civil War. This sense of patriotism resonated with many Americans during the Gilded Age, and the use of Civil War imagery to portray patriotism and nationalism through art (a task completed magnificently by French) was very impactful during the Gilded Age. Both through the depiction of Civil War values and patriotism and nationalism through war imagery, Daniel Chester French’s art was able to evoke important themes during the Gilded Age of a united nation and a willingness to fight for it.
In conclusion, Daniel Chester French was able to have a large impact on American art through his work in sculpture, although he benefitted greatly from his influencers and teachers and largely used Gilded Age societal themes to guide his works. Abigail May Alcott played an essential role in bringing French into the art field, after which his extensive training in drawing, anatomy and sculpture with teachers such as Thomas Ball was essential to French’s success. By drawing on the overarching Gilded Age themes of post-Civil War pride, a revival of Civil War values, nationalism and patriotism, French’s art was able to fit the needs and values of the people and helped in shaping his career as a famous Gilded Age artist.
Works Cited
Art Institute of Chicago. Daniel Chester French. n.d. 8 February 2022.
Blumberg, Naomi. Daniel Chester French. 3 October 2021. 8 February 2022.
Chesterwood. Daniel Chester French. n.d. 8 February 2022.
Concord Museum. From the Minute Man to the Lincoln Memorial: The Timeless Sculpture of Daniel Chester French. n.d. 8 February 2022.
Monument Man: The Life and Art of Daniel Chester French. Dir. US National Archives. US National Archives. 2019. Video.
National Park Service. Sculptor, Daniel Chester French. 11 January 2020. 8 February 2022.
Smithsonian American Art Museum. Daniel Chester French. n.d. 8 February 2022.
Tolles, Thayer. Daniel Chester French (1850-1931). June 2010. 8 February 2022.