MacNeil’s Sculpture of Ezra Cornell
By
MacNeils likeness of Cornell University founder Ezra Cornell with cane and hat in hand overlooks the campus.
The statue of Cornell University founder, Ezra Cornell, was dedicated on June 12, 1919 after a delay brought on by the World War I. A picture of the dedication event (complete with straw-hats on the gentlemen in attendance) can be seen at the link below to the Cornell Chronicle Online along with a news account of the decication. Hermon Atkins MacNeil came to Cornell in 1886 (at the age of 20) to teach modeling (Instructor of Industrial Art). He taught there for 3 years. The Cornell Chronicle article sites a tradition that “Miniatures of the statue, known as the ‘coveted Ezra,’ are given to the university’s foremost benefactors as a token of the university’s appreciation for their support.”
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov07/Ezra.Files.12.gl.html
Some marketing of these miniatures of this MacNeil sculpture are still done today by art dealers. The following link provides an example with further data, photo detail, and dimensions.
http://www.georgeglazer.com/prints/portraits/ezracornell.html
MacNeil's Ezra Cornell stands with hat and cane in hand
More on Ezra Cornell can be viewed in the The Erza Files
