By DARLA MCCAMMON

Lakeland Art Association

“Unveiling the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” by Edward Moran

In this column I have shared many things during the past eight plus years.  Some of those included my trip to the Louvre in Paris.  One thing I have not shared is the surprising (to me and my husband) spectacle that greeted us when we looked out on the famous Seine River on that same trip to France.  Our curiosity and surprise did not come from our first view of the Eiffel Tower – that wonder, created by Gustave Eiffel, we were expecting to be there.  So what was it?

Did you know there is duplicate of our Statue of Liberty that is about ¼ the size of our version that sits on an island called “Ile aux Cygnes?” Situated right in the middle of the Seine, this statue was given to France by U.S. citizens who lived in Paris in 1889 as a goodwill gesture to memorialize the centennial date of the French Revolution. This particular version of the statue was one used by Bartholdi and his crew as a model for the full-sized version that came to our country just three years prior to the return gesture in Paris. If you are ever in Paris you must go see it.

Perhaps the most loved and famous painting of our Statue of Liberty was done in 1886 by an American Marine artist named Edward Moran.  It was part of a series of thirteen paintings depicting the marine history of our country. The Title of the work on Lady Liberty was “Unveiling the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.” The painting shows the great celebration at the official ceremony unveiling the Statue.

A little about Edward Moran, the artist of this exceptional painting. Moran was born in England and loved art and sketching from an early age, even drawing on fabric when he was supposed to be working the hand-loom of his family’s business.  His family immigrated to the United States and became citizens. In 1844, Moran’s talent began to grow as he was apprenticed to two other well-known artists of the time, Hamilton and Weber. Hamilton, in particular, led Moran into marine art.  Moran went on to become recognized as one of the 19^th century’s most influential and important marine artists.  Moran was generous with his talent and not only taught others but encouraged their talent.  Other careers he helped launch were his younger brother Thomas Moran, another brother, Peter, a nephew Jean Ferris, and both of his sons Edward Percy Moran and Leon Moran.  It is fascinating how art can beget art as has happened so much with our gracious lady, The Statue of Liberty.

Coming Up:

• Marilyn Kruger art exhibit: Warsaw City Hall Gallery 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday through October.
• Oct. 4-29, Steve Creighton Kokomo Art Center 525 W. Ricketts St., Kokomo
• Oct. 5-29, Robert Hudson and Jennifer Caudill-Penaherra exhibit 302 E. Winona Avenue, Warsaw.
• Oct. 7-Nov. 13 is your opportunity to win! Stop by LAA at 302 E. Winona Avenue, Warsaw and buy tickets for $2.  All kinds of amazing and valuable artwork and crafts will be raffled on Nov. 13 from 2-4 p.m. Studio is open Wed-Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Artists also need to check in with LAA gallery for information about the upcoming fall show.

For more information contact artist/author, Darla McCammon at [email protected] or website. Call Lakeland Art at (574) 267-5568.