10-A Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial, 1884–1897

10-A Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial, 1884–1897
Look closely at the figures and what they look like, what they carry.

Discuss how artists can create rhythm in works of visual art. How did Saint-Gaudens create a sense of rhythm in this relief? He repeated the slant of leg and body lines and shapes at regular intervals across the sculpture. (Even the horse’s legs match the slant of the marching soldiers’ legs.) The repeated rifles create a steady rhythm in the top half of the sculpture. Only Shaw’s upright form and his horse’s neck interrupt the steady march across the sculpture.

How did Saint-Gaudens create a sense of depth in this sculpture? How do you know that some soldiers are closer to viewers than others? Soldiers who are closer to us stand out farther from the background; they are in greater relief. The soldiers at the back are in low relief. The closer forms also overlap the more distant ones.

Which figure is closest to the viewer (in highest relief)? Robert Shaw is.

Who is in command? The man on the horse, Colonel Shaw, is. How do you know? As the only mounted figure, he is above the other soldiers; he carries a sword, and his jacket has the fancy cuffs of an officer’s uniform. Also, the title tells us that this honors Robert Shaw.

This was commissioned to honor and remember Robert Shaw, but who else does it commemorate? It honors the foot soldiers of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Why was this monument was made of bronze rather than marble or wood. Bronze lasts longer outside; it reflects light and is dark and solemn. It can be worked in minute detail, and thin forms like rifles and reins do not break easily.

What does the winged figure in the sky hold? She holds poppies and an olive branch.

What do you think this figure in the sky represents? Why? She may represent an angel. The poppies usually symbolize death and remembrance, and the olive branch, peace and victory. (Artificial poppies are worn on Veterans Day to remember America’s war veterans.)