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Andrew Jackson & A Stroll by the Capitol

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Andrew Jackson, 1855

Clark Mills (1815-1883)

White Metal

In 1848, Clark Mills received the commission to create an equestrian statue of President Andrew Jackson for Lafayette Park. Although there is no documentation related to Reed’s role in the process, Mills’s reliance on Reed for future projects makes it likely that Reed moved to Washington, D.C. with him. This miniature depicts the statue, which was unveiled in Lafayette Park on January 8, 1853. It was the first bronze statue in America, and the first equestrian sculpture balanced on the horse’s hind legs.

White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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A Stroll by the Capitol, 1897

Walter Paris (1842-1906)

Watercolor on paper

This watercolor by Walter Paris depicts the U.S. Capitol Dome, topped by the famous Statue of Freedom, Reed’s most famous contribution. Documentation from the Architect of the Capitol shows that he worked alongside free laborers, keeping the fires going beneath the statue’s molds.

White House Collection/White House Historical Association

About this Gallery

Pieces in the White House Collection illuminate the unsung role of enslaved artisans in early American fine and decorative arts.

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