| Free Indeed - Part 3 : What Were They Thinking? "Part 2 : Who is Minerva and What is She doing in My Library?" established the basic story line of Athena/Minerva and the fact that the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress gives her a central place of honor. The Jefferson Building, however, was built fairly recently, in roughly the last decade of the 19th century, and a case for False Liberty in the guise of Minerva as a prevailing spirit over our culture cannot be built on the example of a single building, not even on one with as much influence and importance as the Library of Congress. The following examples include overt depictions of Minerva as well as variants of a female figure representing America or Liberty/Freedom. In some cases Minerva is used clearly to represent America, in others there are only hints, and in still others the inspiration may have come from the lesser known Roman goddess Libertas, or from the artists' own ideas. These examples date from 1780 through 1883. While no single one of them can be taken to represent a definitive plan on the part of anyone to worship Minerva openly, together they form a representative testimony of the prominent place of this false goddess in the minds of the people throughout the time period, and consequently of her place in the emerging iconography of the young nation. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1780, features Minerva as the central figure in their seal. Charter and other early members include Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and John Quincy Adams. Scroll down about half way to find the heading "The Seal of the Academy" to read a description and click on the small image of the seal to see a close up view: http://www.amacad.org/about/history.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "America Triumphant and Britannica in Distress," (picturing America as Minerva) Boston: 1782 Engraving Prints and Photographs Division Library of Congress Minerva is often pictured with Winged Victory (Nike). In this engraving she is pictured with Fame flying overhead. http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/thirtn.jpg About Fame (Pheme): http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Pheme.html About Nike: http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Nike.html +++++++++++++++++++++ Classical Temple Dedicated to Liberty, Justice, and Plenty. James Trenchard "Temple of Liberty" The Columbian Magazine, (Philadelphia) 1788, opp. p. 473 Engraving in book Rare Book and Special Collections Division Library of Congress. http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/twnty4.jpg ++++++++++++++++++++++ In 1789, Noah Webster founded the first daily newspaper in New York City, called the American Minerva. http://www.learningkingdom.com/history/archive/1998/12/09.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Francis Hopkinson wrote the first American Opera, "America Independent, or, The Temple of Minerva." Hopkinson was a lawyer who was one of the 56 delegates to sign the Declaration of Independence. http://w3.trib.com/FACT/1st.declaration.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Engraving of America as Minerva associated with George Washington and Benjamin Franklin: (W.D. Cooper "America Trampling on Oppression" The History of North America, E. Newberry: London, 1789, frontispiece Rare Book and Special Collections Division Library of Congress) http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/eighteen.jpg +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Official Statue of Minerva as American Liberty. Giuseppe Ceracchi "Minerva as the Patroness of American Liberty," 1791 Copyprint of patinated terra cotta bust Library Company of Philadelphia http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/nineteen.jpg ++++++++++++++++++++++ The Libertas Americana medal was commissioned in 1793 by Benjamin Franklin to commemorate the victories of the American forces at Yorktown and Saratoga. It represents America as a baby Hercules, and France as Minerva. The other side represents Liberty as a woman with flowing hair and a Liberty Cap. This medal inspired other coins which featured Liberty as a woman. Libertas Americana medal: http://www.coinlibrary.com/news/178303XX.html Origins of Liberty Cap (most detailed information near bottom of page): http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/flagcap.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Giant Statue of Liberty proposed for Capitol's East Front, but never built. Benjamin Henry Latrobe [Figure of Athena or Minerva as American Liberty], c. 1811 Water color on paper Prints and Photographs Division Library of Congress Notice the small figure of Medusa, from the aegis, decorating her bosom: http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/nintysix.jpg ++++++++++++++++++++++++ c. 1818 Statue of Liberty and the Eagle, now in Statuary Hall, formerly stood behind the desk of the Speaker of the House. Note especially the snake (symbol not of wisdom, but of the false goddess of wisdom) not merely around a column, as the page states, but appearing to form the binding for the Roman fasces: http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/liberty_and_eagle.htm About the symbolism of the Roman fasces: http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/WashREPUBameri.intro.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Figure of Freedom with Liberty Cap. Thomas Crawford [Second Design of Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace ,] 1855 Copyprint Architect of the Capitol Here she is not called Minerva, but Freedom. She is wearing a Liberty Cap instead of Minerva's helmet. However, notice the snakes around her sword. Also, the Roman fasces at the base of the statue, and the laurel wreaths (representing victory) all around: http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/kkten.jpg ++++++++++++++++++++++++ On top of the U.S. Capitol is a statue called "Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace." It was begun in 1855 and finally installed in 1863. Close up images of the Statue from the Architect of the Capitol: http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/freedom.htm The article in the link below, "Political Compromise in Public Art: Thomas Crawford's Statue of Freedom" by Vivien Green Fryd, discusses the personification of Liberty and America as sometimes competing with Minerva to represent the U.S.A. In the case of the Freedom Statue on top of U.S. Capitol, the three were merged through a process of political compromise. The author also indicates that the statue may have been based in part on Athena Parthenos, sculpted by Phidias, who also did the famous Zeus statue in his temple at Olympia (see my previous post, Apotheosis of George Washington). This article is very well done and includes more information about many aspects of this iconography. Article: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~tsawyer/DRBR/fryd/fryd.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In 1865, Brumidi painted the fresco in the dome of the U.S. Capitol called the Apotheosis of George Washington. One of the groupings around the edge features Minerva as patroness of science, instructing Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton, and Samuel F. B. Morse in the workings of electricity. "Science" in The Apotheosis of Washington http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda/apotheosis/apoth_sci.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In front of the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. stands a statue of Chief Justice John Marshall, commissioned by the U.S. Bar Association and cast in 1883. On the base of the statue are two panels: On the South side, Victory (Nike) leads young America to the altar to swear eternal loyalty to the Union of the States. On the North side, the goddess Minerva dictates the Constitution to America, who writes on a scroll. This page describes the panels and shows the statue of Marshall clearly, but the panels themselves cannot be seen: http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/marshall.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Free Indeed - Part 4 : Vulcan in Antiquity Free Indeed - Home |
