Famous Sculptors at Gettysburg

A few noted American sculptors who’s work appears at Gettysburg.

John Reynolds Equestrian by Henry Kirke Bush BrownHenry Kirke-Bush Brown. Henry Kirke Bush-Brown (1857–1935) was an American sculptor who produced three equestrian bronze sculptures at Gettysburg battlefield: the monuments to Generals Meade, Reynolds, and Sedgwick. He also executed the bust of Lincoln on the Gettysburg Address monument in the National Cemetery. Bush-Brown’s other notable works include a figure of Commodore Isaac Hull on the triumphal Dewey Arch in New York City’s Madison Square.

General John Buford - sculpted by J.E. KellyJames Edward Kelly. James Edward Kelly (July 30, 1855 – May 25, 1933) was an American sculptor and illustrator. His best known work at Gettysburg is the monument to General John Buford on the Chambersburg Pike, west of town. Kelly also executed a number of other monuments at places like the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Lee Lawrie. Lee Oscar Lawrie (October 16, 1877 – January 23, 1963) was one of the United States’ foremost architectural sculptors. Of German birth, some of Lawrie’s most notable works can be viewed at the Rockefeller Center in New York City. At Gettysburg, his best known work is the Eternal Peace Light Monument on Oak Hill, but Lawrie also executed several of the bronze portraits on the Pennsylvania State Monument as well, including Meade, Reynolds, and David Birney.

Frederick William Sievers. Frederick William Sievers (1872–1966) was an American sculptor, born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but lived most of his life in Richmond, Virginia. He is best known for the Virginia State Monument and the especially good likeness of General Lee and Traveller. Other works executed by Sievers include four portrait statues for the Virginia Capitol and a number of sculptures commemorating Confederate leaders, most notably the equestrian statue of “Stonewall” Jackson on Monument Avenue in Richmond.

Donald DeLue. Donald Harcourt De Lue (October 5, 1897, Boston, Massachusetts – August 26, 1988, Leonardo, New Jersey) was a prominent and prolific American sculptor. His two main works at Gettysburg are the Mississippi and Louisiana State Monuments. DeLue’s other works include the Omaha Beach memorial in Normandy, France, and the Boy Scout Memorial Tribute in Washington, D.C.

Gutzon Borglum. Probably Gettysburg’s most famous sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, a Danish-American born artist and sculptor, executed the beautiful North Carolina monument. With a flair for the dramatic, Borglum arranged for an airplane to fly over the monument during the July 3, 1929 dedication ceremony to scatter roses across the field as a salute to those North Carolinians who had fought and died at Gettysburg. A prolific sculptor, Borglum’s most notable work is Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

Casper Buberl Caspar Buberl (1834 – August 22, 1899) was an American sculptor of Czech birth who was noted especially for his Civil War monuments. Buberl’s work can be seen literally all over the Gettysburg National Military Park as he executed several of the New York bronze reliefs at Gettysburg, including the 9th New York Cavalry Monument, 4th New York Independent Battery, 5th New York Cavalry Monument, the 126th New York Infantry, 10th New York Cavalry Monument, 54th New York Infantry, 111th New York Infantry Monument, New York State Monument, 41st New York Infantry, and the 52nd New York Infantry. He is also well known for the James A. Garfield Memorial in Cleveland’s Lake View Cemetery.