Author Archive
MacNeil’s Albany Monument ~ Winter Update
Posted by: | CommentsThe Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Albany, NY
“The bronze seems to be in fine condition with a consistent patina, however the marble relief in front (top left) is beginning to show signs of deterioration, evident in the raised crack (upper left). If left unattended , it will eventually shear off, marring the beauty of the composition.” Joel Rosenkranz, December 2022
Joel RosenKranz, the owner and manager of Conner – Rosenkranz, LLC., (a private gallery located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan) is a friend of this website.
He represented the Estate of Jo Davidson in our purchase of the bust of Hermon Atkins MacNeil in 2021.
In December after visiting Albany NY, he sent the following note to us (Jim Haas and Dan Leininger, the website).
Dear James & Dan:
I was in Albany on Friday and decided to see MacNeil’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument in person. It is quite impressive and beautifully sighted in a city park. The bronze seems to be in fine condition with a consistent patina, however the marble relief in front (top left) is beginning to show signs of deterioration, evident in the raised crack (upper left). If left unattended , it will eventually shear off, marring the beauty of the composition. The marble reliefs on the rear and sides of the monument appear to be in good shape as is the lettering on the rear, which is quite beautiful.
A crowning achievement for Hermon.
Best to you both.
Joel
Thanks to Joel for the Winter Update of the Albany Veterans Monument.
It has been a central feature of Washington Park Historic District,
the premier park of the capitol city of Albany for over one hundred and ten years.
Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument in Washington Park, Albany NY
Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument in Washington Park, Albany NY
The Washington Park Historic District (Albany, New York)
History:
“Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument is a marble monument sitting on a granite base with a bronze statue representing the Nation, holding the palms of victory. The monument is built of Tennessee marble above the seat and the remainder is of Stony Creek granite. It is 22 feet (6.7 m) high, 21 feet (6.4 m) long and 5.5 feet (1.7 m) deep, surrounded by a seat, the whole resting upon a platform 70 feet (21 m) long by 64 feet (20 m) deep. It sits at the Henry Johnson Boulevard entrance from State Street to the park. The monument represents “The Nation at Peace Won Through Victorious War”.[21] It was finished in 1911 by American Sculptor Hermon A. MacNeil and erected in 1912 by the Grand Army of the Republic as a monument to Civil War veterans.[21][25] The monument was restored in 1986 and renamed the Albany Veterans Memorial Monument with an unveiling by two 85-year-old women who, as 12-year-olds, had unveiled the monument when it was first erected in 1912.” [25]
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Park_Historic_District_(Albany,_New_York)
Albany NY – Soldiers and Sailors Monument
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Albany Veterans Memorial Monument (detail)
In Albany New York just north of the Capitol Building stands a Civil War Monument by Hermon A. MacNeil completed in 1912.
Tulips in bloom in Albany Veterans Memorial welcome visitors into Washington Park
Re-Dedicated and renamed the “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial” in 1912, it stands on public property dating back to the city’s original British charter of 1686.
The monument represents “The Nation at Peace Won Through Victorious War”.[21] It was finished in 1911 by American Sculptor Hermon A. MacNeil and erected in 1912 by the Grand Army of the Republic as a monument to Civil War veterans.[21][25] Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Park_Historic_District_(Albany,_New_York)
In 1986, the bicentennial of Albany’s City Charter, the structure was restored and renamed the
“Albany Veterans Memorial Monument”
The monumental sculpture commands a beautiful entry to Albany’s premier park which, for years, has been the site of many festivals and gatherings.
In 1910 MacNeil purchased Civil War pictures from George E. Stonebridge that he projected on screens for public lectures. MacNeil then used images are carved in marble on the Albany Soldiers and Sailors Monument below.
Joel Rosenkrantz sent this photo in December 2022 as a winter update of his visit to Albany, NY. Next post will share his comments.
Actual photos of civil war soldiers were Hermon’s models for this monument.
SEE ARTICLE TO RIGHT =======>>>>>>>
READ THIS NEWS STORY OF THE “SOLDIER PHOTOS” that Hermon MacNeil purchased to use as models for the
“Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument
CREDITS:
- “Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument in Washington Park, Albany NY.” Northeast facade.CC BY-SA 4.0 File:Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument in Washington Park NE face, Albany NY.jpg Created: 2 August 2021
Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument in Washington Park, Albany NY
Models of MacNeil Sculptures Rescued!
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Alexander Hamilton plaster model (reverse) with de-assession tag at Swope Art Museum
Plaster models from the studio of
Hermon Atkins MacNeil
are returning to College Point thanks to.
(MacNeil biographer and College Point author)
Jim Haas, with help from Charlie Chiclacos, traveled to
Swope Art Museum
in Terre Haute, Indiana,
Jim Haas and Charlie Chiclacos, drove a rental van to Terre Haute last month to retrieve the pieces.
One rescued piece is the Adventurous Bowman model (1915). The final plaster stood atop the Column of Progress at the Pan-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco (See photos below)
“Column of Progress” with MacNeil’s “Adventurous Bowman” as the finial figure on top.
Adventurous Bowman model (1915). The final plaster stood atop the Column of Progress at the Pan-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco
Swope Art Museum received the remaining plaster models from the original MacNeil Studio before it was sold and demolished.
Hermon MacNeil served on the board there. His plaster of “The White Man Coming” has been displayed there for nearly a century. (See below)
“Coming of the White Man” original clay model 72 inches high at the Poppenhusen Institute in College Point, Queens, New York.
PURCHASE: ~ NEW ~ MacNeil Biography
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Jim Haas’ BOOK~ Hermon Atkins MacNeil: American Sculptor In the Broad, Bright Daylight
Hermon Atkins MacNeil: BIOGRAPHY Published !!!
Posted by: | CommentsAuthor and historian, James E. Haas has completed
“Hermon Atkins MacNeil:
American Sculptor
In the Broad, Bright Daylight”
Now
, Seventy-Five years after the sculptor’s death,
this definitive BIOGRAPHY is available.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Webmaster comments:
Our “Uncle Hermon,”
(who kept his gold and silver award medals in a drawer),
would be a little embarrassed
but modestly proud.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
James E. Haas
This is Haas’ sixth book. All his works are rooted in the history of College Point.
James Haas grew up there in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. He learned as a boy that the twenty-five cent pieces that made a home in his pocket, were designed by a former neighbor named Hermon A. MacNeil.
The MacNeil’s built their Studio on the northern shore of College Point in 1902. The community was an easily defined peninsula on the East River, Burrough of Queens, in New York City.
Listening and hearing tales of the generations of residents before him, Jim’s “young boy fascination” was stirred by conversations of local people and lore. As an adult he chose to capture those sagas into words. Jim distilled his writings with research and collaboration about his College Point roots and history.
Two recurring of names woven through many stories were Hermon Atkins MacNeil and Carol (“Carrie”) Brooks MacNeil. Their involvement in the Village’s efforts supporting the Great War “piqued” an additional interest in the couples service. Now in his sixth volume, Haas puts this pair (the husband-wife sculptor team) in focus at center stage.
The 20 plus chapters form a chronology of the life and works of Hermon and Carrie MacNeil. The research is thorough and thoughtful. He is a heart-felt historian of his home town roots. His story telling is as encompassing as their global accomplishments.
Cecelia MacNeil, Hermon’s widow credited the following statement to Adolph Block:
“… all that Hermon Atkins MacNeil lacks to acquire fame is a good biographer.”
Adolph Block should know. He too was a sculptor ~ (more) and a student of MacNeil
All that Hermon MacNeil lacked
was a Good Biographer
But NOW in 2022
Hermon Atkins MacNeil’s BIOGRAPHY
is Published
And James E. Haas is his “Good Biographer”
Postscript by Webmaster:
HermonAtkinsMacNeil.com/ [ HAM ]
Until 2010 the works of Hermon MacNeil had no central “Gathering Point” in the virtual world of digitized communication.
This website was created as a convergence for searches about
Hermon MacNeil.
Since 2010 this website has cornered the market on
Color images and vignettes of the
LIVES AND WORKS of Hermon and Carol MacNeil.
https://hermonatkinsmacneil.com/ has added to their FAME
BUT
No one CHRONOLOGICAL STORY of the MacNeils is presented here.
NOW
THIS VOLUME BY JAMES HAAS HAS CREATED A
Thorough, Painstaking, Detailed, Systematic, Telling
that this American Sculptor has needed
for the last 75 years.
SO ENJOY !
! ! ! !
“… all that Hermon Atkins MacNeil lacks to acquire fame is a good biographer.”
. . . . . . .
FOR MORE BOOKS BY JIM HAAS GO TO:
https://www.amazon.com/ And Enter a Search for: james e. haas
Chicago Monuments Project Says “REMOVE ‘The Marquette Jolliet Illini Memorial'”
Posted by: | CommentsREMOVE IT!
A RED “X” and scribbles mark the decision to remove this monumental piece funded a century ago by the Benjamin Franklin Ferguson Monument Fund to adorn Chicago boulevard and green-ways with historic statuary.
The Chicago Monuments Project says REMOVE IT!
So, we have “X-ed” out the Marquette Jolliet Illini sculpture from our photo posed in 2010.
After gracing the Douglas Park neighborhood for nearly a century, this sculpture by Hermon A. MacNeil is judged to deserve the
Axe–ually, it may get:
- Removal,
- Storage, and possibly
- Lending or Donation to a private venue.
The Report of the Chicago Monuments Project reads, in part:
“Jacques Marquette-Louis Jolliet Memorial”
» The sculpture reinforces stereotypes
about American Indians and glorifies
a complicated and painful history of Western expansion. It features a cowering American Indian, following submissively in the footsteps of MarquetteRecommended Next Steps
-
» The artwork should be placed in storage
-
» The city should initiate a conversation with the Marshall Square community, where the artwork is located, to study options for the development of new public art at the site
-
» Agencies may also consider the long- term loan or donation of this artwork to a private organization
MacNeil’s depiction of Marquette has the priest with an inviting open right hand and raising a cross above his heart.
Since 1926 this work has graced the bend of Marshall Boulevard and 24th Boulevard.
VISITING THE MONUMENT
While it is still standing, the monument can be reached by:
Driving south down through Douglas Park on Sacramento Blvd to Marshall Blvd as it becomes West 24th Blvd. There you can find the 1925 bronze grouping of Pere Marquette, Louis Jolliete, and an Illinois Indian that faces the greenway of the boulevard.
The monument stands on a six-foot (6′) base with bronze groupings almost twelve feet (12′) tall. It’s removal will not be an easy extraction
Chicagoans approaching the Monument along Marshall and 24th Avenue Boulevards are greeted by the Jesuit’s open hand.
FYI: MORE Discussion~ will come!
the Webmaster
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Related posts:
- “Chicago Sculpture in the Loop” features Hermon A. MacNeil’s Work at Marquette Building (3) Gregory H. Jenkins has posted stories of the Marquette Bronze…
- Hermon MacNeil Sculpture in the Chicago Loop (3) Gregory H. Jenkins AIA, Chicago architect and keeper of the …
- Marquette Statue in Chicago (3) Today we took a short trip south from our daughter’s…
- More Marquette Statue Photos (3) Our Photo journey to this statue produced more pictures than…
- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ What’s the FUTURE of the PAST? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Chicago Monuments Project (3) All of Hermon MacNeil’s Lifeworks enshrine the PAST. SO… What…
- Why the Chicago Monument Project? ~~ FAQ (3) Frequently Asked Questions Why is Chicago doing this? Chicago joins..
- What’s the FUTURE of the PAST? ~ The Chicago Monuments Project. All of Hermon MacNeil’s Lifeworks enshrine the PAST. SO… What is the Future of the Past?
