The Shaw Memorial: Artistic Meanings Across Time
The Shaw Memorial, created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, commemorates the 54th Massachusetts Regiment led by Colonel Shaw during the Civil War. The memorial is a significant artistic representation depicting the inclusion of African-American soldiers, challenging conventions of the time. Colonel Shaw's leadership and sacrifice for equality are central themes of this powerful monument.
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The Shaw Memorial An Example of Artistic Meanings in Multiple Genres, Across Time, Around an Event of Significance
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) Saint-Gaudens born in Dublin, Ireland, to mixed Irish/French parentage Moved to US with parents while still an infant One of America s best- known public sculptors in the 19thcentury Commissioned for Shaw Memorial in 1884, unveiling in Boston 1898
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) Farragut Memorial Diana Liberty Coin The Puritan
The Shaw Memorial s Conception Augustus St. Gaudens depicted Shaw as an all-important figure, watched over by the divine. Robert Gould Shaw s family objected to St. Gaudens making the memorial into an equestrian statue, calling it pretentious. They felt a man of Shaw s rank was not deserving of such an honor. It was in response to this that St. Gaudens included the Negro soldiers in the memorial. In his words, he reconciled [his] desire with their ideas. Slide by Nathan
Colonel Shaw Recruited by John Andrew, abolitionist, to become captain of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment Shaw displayed hesitation to leading African- American men, but essentially took the position to please his mother, Sarah Shaw. He eventually became not only a leader to the 54th Regiment, but also a member fighting along side his men. Colonel Shaw s actions as a leader left him an American Hero who lived, fought, and died with his troop. Alynn Peckham
Shaw and the 54th Initially took position as commander of the 54th to please his mother, who was an abolitionist. Originally did not share passion for abolition. Eventually grew to respect his men and believed they could fight as well as white soldiers. Fought and held boycott until his soldiers received equal pay. On May 28, 1863 Shaw lead his troops on a parade in Boston where they departed for South Carolina. 54th was originally tasked for manual labor and did not see action until July 16th at James Island. Shaw and the 54th was chosen to lead the assault on Battery Wagner. 54th regiment proved to be as brave as any white troops, but Shaw was killed in the assault. Shaw was buried in mass grave under his black troops. Civil War Trust." Robert Gould Shaw. Civilwar.com, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/robert-gould-shaw.html>. Slide by: Bert Stewart
Assault on Ft. Wagner, 1863 Colonel Shaw and many of his men killed Confederate soldiers buried Shaw and Black soldiers in a common grave, considering this an insult to Shaw
The attack on Fort Wagner, while a military disaster, was successful in increasing the number of black enlistments in the Union army by tenfold after the battle. Slide by Ana Bogart
Poets Inspired by the Events James Russell Lowell William Vaughn Moody John Berryman Thomas Bailey Aldrich Paul Laurence Dunbar Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Robert Lowell Paul Laurence Dunbar So nigh is grandeur to our dust, So near is God to man, When Duty whispers low, Thou must, The youth replies, I can. Emerson - from Voluntaries
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Maya Lin Lin won a public design competition for the Vietnam Memorial in 1981 (21 years old) Unconventional design Memorial is deep in the Earth to symbolize the gravity of loss of the soldiers Controversy because Lin was of Asian Decent (Chinese-American) Lin is now a prestigious architectural designer won the National Medal of Arts in 2009 Danielle
Official name of the Memorial is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Also known as VVM or The Wall Not a war Memorial but a Memorial to those who served in the war, both living and dead The names were NOT carved by hand, but by a computerized typesetting process developed by Larry Century, specifically for the Memorial, in Memphis, Tennessee Freya
