A bronze sculpture of a hooded female figure with wings holding her arms outstretched in front of her.

Benediction

Daniel Chester French (1850-1931)

Date

1922, cast ca. 1929
Object Type

Sculptures
Medium

Bronze
Contributors

Cast by Roman Bronze Works
Dimensions

38 x 32 1/2 x 23 in.
Edition

?/4
Inscriptions

On the base, proper left: D.C. French \ 1922
One the base, proper left: ROMAN BRONZE WORKS N.Y.
Credit Line

Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas, Purchase with funds provided by the Council
Accession Number

2005.17
Copyright

Public domain

French modeled Benediction in 1922, the same year that his best-known sculpture, the seated Lincoln, was dedicated at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Executed near the end of the artist’s prolific career, Benediction represents the culmination of his long investigation into the motif of the winged female figure. He conceived this statuette as the central element of a proposed monument to honor Massachusetts soldiers who had died during World War I. The memorial project was never realized, but in subsequent years French engaged the sculpture foundry Roman Bronze Works to make four bronze casts of his design, including this one.

From Remington to O’Keeffe: The Carter’s Greatest Hits

October 6, 2018–March 22, 2019

During the renovation, this exhibition features highlights from the permanent collection, including paintings, photographs, and sculptures, by some of America’s most renowned artists.

Location: On view

See more by Daniel Chester French

Educator Resources

How should decisions about the creation of memorials be made? Does it matter if a memorial is public or private?

What does it mean for a memorial to be successful?

How do artists evoke emotions about an event without a visual depiction of the event itself?

In what ways might the place of display impact the meaning and reception of a work of art?

How do artists create a sense of movement, motion, or action in their artworks?
Grades 4–8

Think of ways that people or events have been memorialized in the United States or in your community. Have those memorials been successful? Why or why not? Think of a person or event in the United States or in your community that you believe should be memorialized. What form might that memorial take?

Grades 9–12

Choose a national or local memorial (public or private, any media) and research its creation and how it has been received since its creation. What impact do shifting social or political concerns have on the reception of the memorial you chose?

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