The Angel of Death and the Sculptor Research Paper

The Angel of Death and the Sculptor - Research Paper Example Daniel Chester French was born in 1850 and died in 1913 and was recognized as one of the best American sculptors of his time. He was born in New Hampshire to a lawyer and US treasury secretary. His roots were quickly defined in American patriotism with his links and friendship with Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Alcott Family. After high school, French attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; however, he left quickly to help his father on the farm. He began painting after being influenced by art work from a visit to New York City and received his first commission for a statue known as â€Å"The Minute Man.† By 1913, French had received a Fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was afterwards consistently recognized for his works. He was a founding member of the National Sculpture Society and was a member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as other artistic groups. The works he is best known for is the â€Å"Abraham Lincoln† sculpture at the Lincoln Memorial, Pulitzer Prize medal, and â€Å"Statue of the Republic.† Most of French’s works are consistent with the Revolution of America as the main theme as well as the historical aspects of each design. The â€Å"Angel of Death and the Sculptor† is one of a few of the works which French did based on cemetery areas that were in use. The commission came from Boston sculptor Martin Milmore and was based on the memory of his brother, Joseph. The original statue was made in bronze and was caste in Massachusetts. However, it quickly gained wide recognition and was offered a space in the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The replica of the bronze was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1917 and was then re-carved in marble in 1926 to be placed at the memorial2. These concepts were used and recognized as a way of honoring the memorial that was built while basing the memorial around the honor of the Civil War and the independence of America. This was combined with the healing process that was used for the war and in response to the lives that were lost to gain freedom through the land3. The different techniques which were used at this time were a combination of subject matter with basic ideologies which