By Jane D. O’Donoghue
Special to PRIME
Once again, in 2016, we will be electing a new President for these United States. Modern day elections offer a plethora of photos, film, posters, and television images of the various contenders. Yet, we rely on artists and their renditions of those in the past. Of all the various paintings and statues of our first President, George Washington, there stands a bronze sculpture faithfully depicting his actual facial features and stature. They can be appreciated in a statue on Holy Name Church grounds 323 Dickinson St. near the “X” in Springfield and is the only statue of Washington in Western Massachusetts.
In 1932 the Pastor, Fr. Thomas McGovern, ordered a casting made from the original marble sculpture. Father, a patriotic man, was responsible for the purchase and installation on the school grounds. This was to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. The placement was set to share the gift with parishioners and the surrounding neighborhood.
In 1989, as the librarian at Holy Name School, I assisted a group of students in their research of the work of art and the sculptor at The Springfield City Library and Connecticut Valley Historical Museum. There we spent time with old records of historical events in our city. We were also allowed to handle an old and delicate book, “The Memoirs of the Life and Works of Jean Antoine Houdon.” He was the sculptor of the original work. and a fascinating story unfolded.
Thomas Jefferson, who was our representative in Paris in 1784 and familiar with this artist's works, hired Houdon to sculpt a statue of Washington. Ben Franklin also became involved in this. They favored Houdon because he was considered the foremost sculptor in Europe at the time. When approached with this offer, the artists refused to take it on unless he first met and talked with Washington. He wanted this work to be a reflection of the “real” man, and was willing to cross the ocean to meet him.
The trip took a month and he requested to spend at least another month at Mount Vernon with the President. His plan included making a plaster mask to take back to France with a requirement of at least two years to finish the marble work.
The two men spent several months in friendship with an interpreter. During that time Houdon made a “life mask” by covering Washington's face with plaster, allowing for breathing safely. When dried, the inner side was the exact image of the President's face. Details for the work also included measurements of his six-foot-two-inch frame. The mask was taken to France, where the sculptor created the statue in Carrera white marble mined from the same quarry used by Michelangelo. The original marble creation stands in the rotunda of the Capitol Building in Richmond Virginia.
The Governor of Virginia had several castings of the statue made in 1856. More were made in 1910. In 1931, a mold made by DePrato Company of Boston was sent to Genoa, Italy, for another statue. Returned by ship, it was trucked to the lawn of Holy Name School.
The statue depicts President George Washington in his general's uniform with a cane in his right hand signifying the subordination of the military to the civilian power. His left hand rests on his draped cape, which covers the fasces and plowshares by his side. The fasces are a Roman symbol representing authority, and his heel rests on the plowshare, a peaceful symbol of the landowner. A message of strength emanates from the work of the sculptor's hands.
If you are ever in the vicinity, walking or driving by, please take a minute to stop, enjoy and appreciate the gift of Fr. Thomas McGovern in 1932 to the citizens of Springfield. The statue stands proudly next to the flagstaff and is a vivid reminder of the strength and personal dedication of our first president.
Jane D. O’Donoghue is a Hungry Hill native and retired school librarian. Her writing has appeared in local and regional publications.