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In Memoriam: Augustus Saint-Gaudens died 100 years ago today
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I stumbled across this fact a couple of days ago and thought it fitting to post here - thank you for your work!
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Birth: Mar. 1, 1848
Death: Aug. 3, 1907
American sculptor, best known for his design of the U.S. standing liberty twenty dollar gold piece first issued in 1907, which is widely regarded
as the most beautiful coin ever minted. Sculptor of over 200 works in marble and bronze, Saint-Gaudens had an international reputation and
clientele for his portrait reliefs, decorative projects, and public monuments.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens was born March 1, 1848 in Dublin, Ireland, to Bernard Saint-Gaudens, a French shoemaker and Mary McGuinness, his
Irish wife. Six months later, the family immigrated to New York City where Augustus grew up.
Upon completion of school at age thirteen, he expressed strong interest in art as a career, so his father apprenticed him to a French cameo
cutter. While working days at his cameo lathe, Augustus also took night art classes at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design.
At 19, his apprenticeship completed, he traveled to Paris where he studied under Francois Jouffry at the renowned École des Beaux-Arts. In
1870, he left Paris for Rome, where for the next five years; he studied classical art and architecture, and worked on his first commissions.
In Rome, Saint-Gaudens also met his future wife, Augusta Homer, a distant cousin of the American painter Winslow Homer. Saint-Gaudens
carved her a cameo ring for their engagement six months later.
In 1876 he received his first major commission; a monument to Civil War Admiral David Glasgow Farragut. Unveiled in New York's Madison Square
in 1881, the monument was a tremendous success; its combination of realism and allegory, a departure from previous American sculpture.
Saint-Gaudens' fame grew, and other commissions were quickly forthcoming.
Saint-Gaudens' increased prominence allowed him to pursue his strong interest in teaching, something he did steadily from 1888 to 1897. He
tutored young artists privately, taught at the Art Students League, and took on a large number of assistants. He was an artistic advisor to the
Columbian Exposition of 1893, an avid supporter of the American Academy in Rome, and part of the MacMillan Commission, which made
recommendations for the architectural and artistic preservation and improvement of the Nation’s Capital.
He produced enduring and distinctive public sculpture such as the Adams Memorial, the Peter Cooper Monument, and the John A. Logan
Monument. Perhaps his greatest achievement during this period was the Shaw Memorial unveiled on Boston Common in 1897. Described as
Saint-Gaudens' "symphony in bronze," this masterpiece took fourteen years to complete.
Diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 1900, he decided to live in Cornish year round. For the next seven years, despite diminishing energy, he
continued to work, producing a steady stream of reliefs and public sculpture.
In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt asked Saint-Gaudens to design new ten and twenty-dollar gold coins for the nation. The original designs
were extremely high relief, which caused production problems in striking and stacking the coins, but a compromise was reached in time for the
first “business” strikes shortly before the sculptor died of cancer on August 3, 1907.
His wife survived him for nineteen years, and continued to summer at Aspet. In 1919, she and their son, Homer, established the Saint-Gaudens
Memorial, an organization dedicated to preserve the place as an historic site. In 1965, the Memorial donated the property to the National Park Service.
----------------------------
A member PM'ed me the following information:
The following paragraph is, however, mostly incorrect - "In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt asked Saint-Gaudens to design new ten and twenty-dollar gold coins for the nation. The original designs were extremely high relief, which caused production problems in striking and stacking the coins, but a compromise was reached in time for the first “business” strikes shortly before the sculptor died of cancer on August 3, 1907."
S-G was asked to redesign the $20 and the cent. The $10 eagle did not come up until May 1907. None of the coins - either the special limited production pieces or normal low relief circulating versions - were produced during S-Gs lifetime. There was no problem stacking any of the high relief $20s or $10s, because the first issues never made it into real circulation.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Birth: Mar. 1, 1848
Death: Aug. 3, 1907
American sculptor, best known for his design of the U.S. standing liberty twenty dollar gold piece first issued in 1907, which is widely regarded
as the most beautiful coin ever minted. Sculptor of over 200 works in marble and bronze, Saint-Gaudens had an international reputation and
clientele for his portrait reliefs, decorative projects, and public monuments.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens was born March 1, 1848 in Dublin, Ireland, to Bernard Saint-Gaudens, a French shoemaker and Mary McGuinness, his
Irish wife. Six months later, the family immigrated to New York City where Augustus grew up.
Upon completion of school at age thirteen, he expressed strong interest in art as a career, so his father apprenticed him to a French cameo
cutter. While working days at his cameo lathe, Augustus also took night art classes at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design.
At 19, his apprenticeship completed, he traveled to Paris where he studied under Francois Jouffry at the renowned École des Beaux-Arts. In
1870, he left Paris for Rome, where for the next five years; he studied classical art and architecture, and worked on his first commissions.
In Rome, Saint-Gaudens also met his future wife, Augusta Homer, a distant cousin of the American painter Winslow Homer. Saint-Gaudens
carved her a cameo ring for their engagement six months later.
In 1876 he received his first major commission; a monument to Civil War Admiral David Glasgow Farragut. Unveiled in New York's Madison Square
in 1881, the monument was a tremendous success; its combination of realism and allegory, a departure from previous American sculpture.
Saint-Gaudens' fame grew, and other commissions were quickly forthcoming.
Saint-Gaudens' increased prominence allowed him to pursue his strong interest in teaching, something he did steadily from 1888 to 1897. He
tutored young artists privately, taught at the Art Students League, and took on a large number of assistants. He was an artistic advisor to the
Columbian Exposition of 1893, an avid supporter of the American Academy in Rome, and part of the MacMillan Commission, which made
recommendations for the architectural and artistic preservation and improvement of the Nation’s Capital.
He produced enduring and distinctive public sculpture such as the Adams Memorial, the Peter Cooper Monument, and the John A. Logan
Monument. Perhaps his greatest achievement during this period was the Shaw Memorial unveiled on Boston Common in 1897. Described as
Saint-Gaudens' "symphony in bronze," this masterpiece took fourteen years to complete.
Diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 1900, he decided to live in Cornish year round. For the next seven years, despite diminishing energy, he
continued to work, producing a steady stream of reliefs and public sculpture.
In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt asked Saint-Gaudens to design new ten and twenty-dollar gold coins for the nation. The original designs
were extremely high relief, which caused production problems in striking and stacking the coins, but a compromise was reached in time for the
first “business” strikes shortly before the sculptor died of cancer on August 3, 1907.
His wife survived him for nineteen years, and continued to summer at Aspet. In 1919, she and their son, Homer, established the Saint-Gaudens
Memorial, an organization dedicated to preserve the place as an historic site. In 1965, the Memorial donated the property to the National Park Service.
----------------------------
A member PM'ed me the following information:
The following paragraph is, however, mostly incorrect - "In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt asked Saint-Gaudens to design new ten and twenty-dollar gold coins for the nation. The original designs were extremely high relief, which caused production problems in striking and stacking the coins, but a compromise was reached in time for the first “business” strikes shortly before the sculptor died of cancer on August 3, 1907."
S-G was asked to redesign the $20 and the cent. The $10 eagle did not come up until May 1907. None of the coins - either the special limited production pieces or normal low relief circulating versions - were produced during S-Gs lifetime. There was no problem stacking any of the high relief $20s or $10s, because the first issues never made it into real circulation.
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I especially remember one of his plaster mock-ups for an early version of the $20 that was on display -- very cool. Even non-numismatists will enjoy the visit.
Coin Rarities Online
He's still missed.
I specialize in Errors, Minting, Counterfeit Detection & Grading.
Computer-aided grading, counterfeit detection, recognition and imaging.
My Dad was just a 3 year old toddler when ol' Auggie died.
Any one know why he hypenated his last name?
Ray
Oh, so beautiful!!!!!.....enjoy these high res Mint pics of the 1933 Saint.
I wonder if his friends called him "Augie."
His son by wife Gussie was Homer, and his son by his mistress Davida was Louis, nicknamed "Novy."
<< <i>Augustus Saint-Gaudens' friends called him "Gus." His assistants commonly called him "Sir" or "The Saint." His wife was named Augusta and everyone called her "Gussie." They also had a servant named Augusta, and she was always called "Augusta."
His son by wife Gussie was Homer, and his son by his mistress Davida was Louis, nicknamed "Novy." >>
Now that's what I call nice research! Interesting, RWB--thanks.
Here is Bass's Double-Eagle Type Collection...
Here is a statue done by St. Gaudens, this is a reproduction...
Sorry for the late reply tonight. It's been very busy here at The ANA in preparation for Milwaukee!
Hope to see many of you there!
I specialize in Errors, Minting, Counterfeit Detection & Grading.
Computer-aided grading, counterfeit detection, recognition and imaging.
<< <i>Great thread, thanks. >>
Second.