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Feb. 2020 ~~ MacNeil Month ~ “They’re Still There!”
Posted by: | Comments“They’re Still There!” 
That’s the 2020 theme for the tenth year of MacNeil Month.
We observe each February as MacNeil Month here on HAM.
“They’re Still There!” celebrates several re-visits and discoveries of MacNeil works made in 2019. This years featured visits include:
- “The Sun Vow” in New York City and Monmouth, New Jersey.
- “William McKinley” statue in Columbus, Ohio.
- Presidents Day – Lincoln and Washington
- The Patten Gym at Northwestern University ~ “Intellectual Development” and “Emotional Development”
- “The Soldiers and Sailors Monument” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Why do this in February? Two reasons:
- February 27 is the anniversary of the birth of Hermon A. MacNeil, born in 1866, of one-hundred and fifty-four years ago. Hermon is the patron-sculptor whose work and life are celebrated at this website – HermonAtkinsMacNeil.com.
- February 29 is the Anniversary of the birth of Thomas (Tom) Henry McNeil (my grandfather) born in 1860, one-hundred and sixty years ago. Tom told his daughters to address “Hermon” as “Uncle Hermon.” “Uncle” was the title of respect bestowed on their first-cousin-twice-removed.
Hermon MacNeil Featured in “The Galley”
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Dan Leininger holds the “Galley” for Summer 2014 with MacNeil’s “Pony Express” statue on the cover and an 8 page feature story inside.
“Clan MacNeil Connections and Hermon Atkins MacNeil”
The current issue of the Clan MacNeil Association of America magazine has a feature story on Hermon Atkins MacNeil by webmaster, Dan Leininger
The Galley edited by Vicki Sanders Corporon titles Dan’s story as “Clan MacNeil Connections and Hermon Atkins MacNeil.” The feature and photos fill 8 pages in the “Galley” issue for Spring/Summer 2014.
Ezra Cornell statue at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY was dedicated in 1918 after WWI. Page 19 of the “Galley” (This Photo from Cornell University is Courtesy of Chris Carlsen).
Page 20 of the “Galley” for Summer 2014
The featured photos include the East Pediment of the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. (with a detail close-up of Moses, Confucius, and Salon); The George Rogers Clark monument in Vincennes, IN at the site of his victory over the British in 1779; Confederate Defenders of Charleston, SC; the Young Lawyer Abraham Lincoln in Champaign, IL; General George Washington on the Washington Arch, NYC, NY. Also in this article are photos of the grouping Coming of the White Man in Portland, OR; The WWI Angel of Peace Monument in Flushing NY; and a bust of Dwight L. Moody (who MacNeil sketched during the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair.
Page 18 of the “Galley” for Summer 2014
Hermon Atkins MacNeil to be featured in “The Galley”
Posted by: | CommentsHermon MacNeil was the first president of the Clan MacNeil Association of America. This summer, the Galley will contain a feature article about him, written by Dan Leininger, webmaster of this website — HermonAtkinsMacNeil.com.
“The Galley” Spring/Summer 2013; Official Publication of the Clan MacNeil Association of America
The previous posting of February 8, 2013, entitled, “MacNeil Kinsman ~ Hermon Atkins MacNeil and Robert Lister MacNeil,” tells part of the story of these two men.
Vicki Sanders Corporon, editor of the Galley, has accepted the article and accompanying photos that tell more of the story. She said in recent correspondence:
“Thanks for sending such excellent photos of Hermon’s sculptures. I know their inclusion, along with your article, will be the highlight of the upcoming issue! He really was one of America’s finest sculptors … how important is your mission to make sure he is fully appreciated!”
Sculpture photos of the Supreme Court (East Pediment); George Washington from the Washington Arch in NYC; Abraham Lincoln from University of Illinois; Ezra Cornell at Ithaca; Confederate Defenders Monument (1932) Charleston harbor, SC; and George Rogers Clark at Vincennes will illustrate the story.
On May 26, 1921, the Clan MacNeil Association of America was organized in New York City. Central to that moment were Robert Lister MacNeil, (The MacNeil of Barra – 45th Chief of the Clan), and Hermon Atkins MacNeil, the clan’s first president.
Stay tuned for more as the publication is released.
In 1931, exactly 100 years after James Monroe‘s death (b. April 28, 1758 – d.July 4, 1831), Hermon MacNeil completed a bronze bust of this U.S. President. It was MacNeil’s fourth statue of a US President.
James Monroe, 5th President of the United States. MacNeil’s bronze bust resides in the Hall of Fame of Great Americans on the campus of Bronx Coimmunity College (formerly NYU)
This bronze bust by Hermon MacNeil resides in the Hall of Fame of Great Americans on the campus of Bronx Community College (formerly NYU). The aging memorial of over 100 busts was designed by Stanford White, famous “Beaux Arts” architect of New York City.
MacNeil’s previous sculptures of U.S. Presidents include George Washington (NYC – Washington Arch ~ also designed by Stanford White), Abraham Lincoln (University of Illinois, Urbana, in $60 million restoration of Lincoln Hall), and William McKinley (Monument placed on the Ohio State Capitol grounds, Columbus, in 1906).
FOURTH OF JULY? Monroe was the third President to die on the 4th of July. Ironically, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (the second and third Presidents) died on the same day, July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence. Reportedly Adam’s last words were “only Jefferson remains… .” In truth, Adams was wrong. He did not know that Jefferson had died at Montecello earlier that same day. John Adams was the last surviving signer of the Declaration, by just a matter of hours. Five years later at the age of 73, James Monroe (the fifth President) died on the Fourth of July, as well. His death was 55 years after the signing of the Declaration.
Monroe was the fifth President of the United States (1817–1825). He was the last president from the group known as the Founding Fathers. Monroe was also the last President from the Virginia dynasty. In 1936 MacNeil would sculpt one other Virginian from the Revolutionary era — “George Rogers Clark” (National Monument in Vincennes, Indiana site of the Clark’s Revolutionary victory at Fort Sackville).
Hall of Fame: http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/halloffame/onlinetour/browse.cfm?StartRow=37&BrowserStartRow=6
Three other MacNeil busts are at the Hall of Fame:
- Roger Williams; Francis Parkman; Rufus Choate
- James Monroe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Monroe
- Hall of Fame for Great Americans; 2183 University Avenue; New York, NY 10453; (718) 289-5910; cuny.edu
The Hall of Fame of Great Americans – Series of Medals (3″ and 1 3/4″ format) were cast from 1962-1975. This occurred after Hermon MacNeil’s death in 1947. The James Monroe medal pictured below was based on MacNeil’s portrait bust. The medal was sculpted by C. Paul Jennewein, a sculptor who worked with Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington (a prolific sculptor and a student of MacNeil) who build Brookgreen Gardens into the world’s largest outdoor sculpture park.
Hall of Fame (HOF) Medallion Series were patterned after the statues. This piece by C. Paul Jennewein minted in 1968 commemorates MacNeil’s statue of James Monroe being added to the Hall in 1930. [Photo credit: http://www.medalcollectors.org/Guides/HFGA/Monroe.jpg]
INDEPENDENCE DAY Images ~ from Hermon A. MacNeil
Posted by: | CommentsHere are a few images of Independence from Hermon Atkins MacNeil for this 237th Fourth of July Day in the United States of America.
1) From Vincennes, Indiana at the George Rogers Clark National Monument, Here is a hero of the American Revolution:
MacNeil’s “George Rogers Clark” in the rotunda of the National Monument in Vincennes, Indiana (Photo credit: Dan Leininger – webmaster)
The ranger at the monument commented on the proud dignity that MacNeil’s work conveys in the face and stance of this 26 year-old Virginia patriot, Col. George Rogers Clark. (Photo: Dan Leininger ~ webmaster)
On a recent visit to the monument, the National Park Ranger commented on the pride and confidence that Hermon MacNeil placed in his rendering of Clark’s gaze and pose for this sculpture. Clark, a Virginia Militia officer, won the approval and support of Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, to conduct a daring attack on the British in the Western frontiers. Clark crafted, trained, and commanded a special force of two hundred frontiersman, militia, and Kentucky sharpshooters. Their loyalty to the cause and Clark’s strategy of surprise resulted in capture of the British fortifications on the Western frontiers along the Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash Rivers at Vincennes, IN; Cahokia, IL; Kaskaskia, IL Enduring severe winter hardships, starvation, and sickness their monumental military achievement resulted in British withdrawal from the West and the surrender of territories east of the Mississippi in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. These are due in part to Clark’s Victories. He was the oldest of a family of famous brothers. In 1804 his brother William Clark, along with Meriwether Lewis, would explore the Louisiana Purchase west of the Mississippi for President Jefferson.
2. From New York City, Washington Square Arch. ~ “George Washington, Commander in Chief” by Hermon A. MacNeil.
1916 Photo of the installation of the MacNeil statue. Thia appears to have the statue sitting in the right hand leg of the Arch. The left leg is where it was permanently installed. Photo Credit: John Gomez, NYC.
General George Washington with Flags (U.S. and POW/MIA) ~ Washington Arch Greenwich, NYC (Photo courtesy of: Gibson Shell – 2011)
In 1916 the northeast statue pedestal received its Washington statue after being empty for over 20 years.
The other shelf of the Arch remained empty until 1918 when Alexander Stirling Calder’s “Washington as President” was installed. The installation on the right is a bit confusing. This photo was salvaged from a NYC flea market in June 2012 by John Gomez and used with his permission. John purchased this and other photos of interest to this MacNeil researcher and has graciously allowed their use by webmaster. This ‘strange’ photo shows the MacNeil statue resting on the right-hand side of the Arch where the Calder statue would be placed two years later. (The ladder, rope and pulleys suggest “Men at Work.” Compare the 2012 photo to its left.)
For MacNeil this event took place the same year as the first issue of his sculpture for the U.S. Mint’s “Standing Liberty Quarter.”
For more on the Washington Arch: CLICK HERE
3. From Philadelphia, PA. “The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument.” Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Jim Haas, author and College Point native, sent this Philadelphia shot of Hermon MacNeil’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. That is a rare shot of Jim himself, taken by Lynne, his director of public relations. : ) Jim is a Friend of HermonAtkinsMacNeil.com and a generous researcher for the website. CLICK HERE for Jim’s Books
The second half of the American Revolution (the preservation of the Union) is commemorated in this pair of 60 foot monuments on either side of the parkway entrance.
The back of the monuments read:
~~ “ONE COUNTRY, ONE CONSTITUTION, ONE DESTINY” ~~
~~ “IN GIVING FREEDOM TO THE SLAVE,
WE ASSURE FREEDOM TO THE FREE.” ~~
HEAR & VIEW PHILADELPHIA’S PRIDE IN THIS MACNEIL ART AT:
CLICK HERE and THEN run video by VIMEO.COM
FOR MORE INFO ON THESE MacNeil works see:
Hello world!
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome to Day One of ” Hermon Atkins MacNeil, the website. ” Here you will find the gathered images of the sculpture and art of this American sculpture and come to appreciate his contributions to cities, parks, public buildings, memorials and museums across the United States.
Hermon Atkins MacNeil (1866-1947) was an American sculptor born at Chelsea, Massachusetts. He was an instructor in industrial art at Cornell University from 1886 to 1889, and was then a pupil of Henri M. Chapu and Alexandre Falguière in Paris. Returning to America, he aided Philip Martiny (1858-1927) in the preparation of sketch models for the World’s Columbian Exposition, and in 1896 he won the Rinehart scholarship, passing four years (1896-1900) in Rome.
Hermon Atkins MacNeil about the time of his Standing Liberty works.
In 1906 he became a National Academician. His first important work was The Moqui Runner, which was followed by A Primitive Chant, and The Sun Vow, all figures of the North American Indian. A Fountain of Liberty, for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and other Indian themes came later; his Agnese and his Beatrice, which are two fine busts of women, and his nude statuettes, which echo his time spent in Rome and Paris, [1]also deserve mention. One of his principal works is the sculpture in Columbus, Ohio, in honor of President William McKinley. In 1909 he won in competition a commission for a large soldiers’ and sailors’ monument in Albany, New York.
Perhaps his best known work is as the designer of the Standing Liberty quarter, which as minted from 1916 to 1930, and carries his initial to the right of the date. He also made Justice, the Guardian of Liberty on the east pediment of the United States Supreme Court building . One of his last works was the Pony Express statue dedicated in 1940 in St. Joseph, Missouri.
His wife, Carol Brooks MacNeil, also a sculptor of distinction, was a pupil of Frederick William MacMonnies and a member of the White Rabbits.
Colonel George Rogers Clark statue inside the dome of the National Memorial in Vincennes, Indiana
George Rogers Clark National Memorial.
George Rogers Clark Memorial Vincennes marks his battle with the British there in 1779
Hermon Atkins MacNeil‘s sculpture of George Rogers Clark located in Vincennes, Indiana
( http://www.nps.gov/gero/historyculture/memorial.htm ).
The George Rogers Clark Memorial in Vincennes commemorates the winning of the old Northwest by Colonel Clark and his frontiersmen in the American Revolution. Clark and his army composed of about 170 men captured old Fort Sackville here and caused the British to surrender on the morning of February 25, 1779, more than two and a half years prior to the surrender of Cornwallis to George Washington at Yorktown.
