Many people believe that the face of the Statue of Liberty was modeled after the face of the author’s mother. However, a recent study suggests that the original inspiration for the statue was the author’s brother.
The Statue of Liberty (formally known as “Liberty Enlightening the World”) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. It was designed by architect Frédéric Bartholdi and was inaugurated on October 28, 1886. This statue was a gift from the people of France to the United States.
Many people believe that the Statue of Liberty was modeled after the face of the author’s mother.
The initial concept for the statue came from French politician Édouard Laboulaye, who also supported the project’s launch and fundraising efforts. The young French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was responsible for its design.
Architect Frédéric Bartholdi
Until now, many have been surprised to learn that the statue’s face was modeled after the face of Bartholdi’s mother. However, they may be even more astonished to discover that this information is not accurate; the face of the Statue of Liberty is actually modeled after that of a man.
Mitchell argued that the Statue of Liberty was built based on the face of Bartholdi’s brother.
In a study titled “The Great Adventure To Build The Statue Of Liberty,” author Mitchell presents an argument that the face of the Statue of Liberty was modeled after the face of Bartholdi’s brother.
Mitchell states: “When I looked closely at the statue and the photo of Bartholdi’s mother, I discovered many differences. Bartholdi’s mother had more arched eyebrows, thinner lips, and a smaller nose. Bartholdi was known for his precision, so there couldn’t have been such a significant deviation.“
“However, when I came across a photo of his brother in the documents, I felt a vague sense of recognition. After careful study, I found that his brother’s face closely resembled the statue.“
Mitchell reveals that Bartholdi’s brother, Jean-Charles Bartholdi, suffered from a mental illness in his later years, and once a week, Bartholdi would visit him to provide care.
Mitchell suggests that because Jean-Charles was mute, the two would have hours to observe each other, thus providing Bartholdi ample opportunity to study the angles of his brother’s face closely.
Finally, nine years after the project began, in 1884, this monumental work was completed. The massive iron structure was then “disassembled” into 214 crates for transport from France to the United States.
Nine years after it began, in 1884, this monumental work was completed.
Prior to this, architect Bartholdi traveled to the United States to discuss the statue’s location with President Ulysses Grant. The initially proposed site was Bedloe Island, a location visible to all ships passing through New York Harbor. However, the President felt that utilizing this island solely for the statue would be wasteful. Thus, the final agreed location was a small island facing the harbor of New York City, now known as Liberty Island.
The final agreed location was a small island facing the harbor of New York City.
After 125 years, the Statue of Liberty still stands strong, symbolizing freedom and peace around the world.
