Thayer Tolles

The definitive biography of Daniel Chester French, the artist who created the statue for the Lincoln Memorial, John Harvard in Harvard Yard, and The Minute Man in Concord, Massachusetts. Daniel Chester French (1850–1931) is America's best-known sculptor of public monuments. Harold Holzer's authoritative biography combines rich personal details from French's life with a nuanced study of his artistic evolution and beautiful archival photographs of his life and work.A fascinating life story written for readers interested in American art, sculpture, and history. Comprehensively researched and written in a lively, engaging manner, readers will be captivated by French's life work and story. His diligent dedication to perfecting his craft over many decades of hard work is an inspiring story of artistic evolution.Written by an award-winning Abraham Lincoln scholar. A preeminent author of numerous books on Civil War-era art and history, Harold Holzer turns his eye to the development of an important American sculptor whose evolution ran parallel to, and deeply influenced, the development of American sculpture, iconography, and historical memory.Includes a comprehensive geographical guide to more than one hundred Daniel Chester French sculptures and monuments throughout the United StatesSpecially commissioned by Chesterwood, the home and studio of Daniel Chester French, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Themes of the American West have been enduringly popular, and The American West in Bronze features sixty-five iconic bronzes that display a range of subjects, from portrayals of the noble Indian to rough-and-tumble scenes of rowdy cowboys to tributes to the pioneers who settled the lands west of the Mississippi. Fascinating texts offer a fresh look at the roles that artists played in creating interpretations of the “vanishing West”—whether based on fact, fiction, or something in-between. These artists, including Charles M. Russell and Frederic Remington, embody a range of life experiences and artistic approaches. Some grew up in the West and based their artwork on first-hand experience, while others never set foot west of the Rockies. Four thematic sections—Indians, animals, cowboys, and settlers—are illustrated with new photography and provide a cultural overview to the works presented. Also included are biographies of the artists, each illustrated with a vintage portrait, plus an illustrated chronology of historical and artistic events.Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (12/17/13–04/13/14)Denver Art Museum(05/09/14–08/31/14)Nanjing Museum(October 2014–January 2015)