Statue of The Republic

Address: Jackson Park, at the intersection of Hayes & Richards Drs. Year Built: 1918 Architect: Henry Bacon , Daniel Chester French Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: June 4, 2003

This monumental, 24-foot-high gilded bronze sculpture commemorates both the 25th anniversary of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago and the Illinois statehood centennial. The Columbian Exposition was arguably the single-most important event in American architectural history due to its impact on American architecture, especially public architecture. Meant to symbolize national unity, The Republic is a one-third reproduction of the colossal 65-foot-high sculpture which originally dominated the exposition's Court of Honor. The earlier sculpture and its later reproduction were both the work of Daniel Chester French, one of America's most significant sculptors who worked in the classical tradition. The base is by Henry Bacon, French's collaborator on the later Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.