The Architecture of the Lincoln Memorial - Research Paper Example

 The Lincoln Memorial One of the most lasting representations of a society is found in its remaining architecture. A strong example of this is the art and archictecture left behind by the Greeks. Monuments were built by these ancient peoples to honor their heroes and gods, commemorate great deeds and remember their cultural legends and myths. These structures held meaning not only in the details with which they were built, but also in the sculptures and artwork they housed [I don’t really understand this previous sentence—how are the details separate from the sculpture and artwork and isn’t it’ mostly sculpture? how are you defining “art”?]. In doing so, they have often provided inspiration and instruction to generations that followed, both within their own culture as well as to cultures that have survived them, as is represented by such movements as the Italian Renaissance. In the United States, the Lincoln Memorial stands as just such a monument, speaking eloquently not only about the man to whom it is dedicated, but also to the ideas he espoused during his years as President of a war-torn and very briefly as a reunited country. The architecture of the structure itself is sufficient to convey the sense of strength and stability that Lincoln represented to a country attempting to fly apart at the seams. Designed by architect Henry Bacon, the building is constructed primarily of marble blocks with limestone columns in the style of an ancient Greek temple. The Doric columns, 44 feet tall and nearly 7.5 feet in diameter at their base, convey supreme strength of purpose and a steadying support [do you have a source for this opinion/statement?]. The building commemorates Lincoln’s efforts to maintain the Union primarily through these columns. There are 36 columns supporting the ceiling of the memorial, each one of which stands for one of the 36 states that comprised the re-united nation at the time of Lincoln’s death, complete with the name of the state to which the column is dedicated engraved into it (“Lincoln Memorial”, 2007). However, the monument wasn’t completed until 1922, by which time the union was comprised of 48 states. Rather than excluding these, the names of the states that joined the union after Lincoln’s death, but before the monument’s completion, are carved into the walls on the outside of the memorial. Finally, the last two states to have joined the United States, Alaska and Hawaii, are commemorated in a plaque located within the approach plaza (“Lincoln Memorial”, 2007). The memorial features an open central area occupied by a 19 foot tall marble statue of President Abraham Lincoln sitting in a large, throne-like chair, again representative of the ancient Greeks in its similarity to the ancient Temple of Zeus. Lincoln’s statue looks out over the Reflection Pool to the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. Daniel Chester French, the sculptor who made the statue, used casts taken of Lincoln’s face and hands and expanded his plans from an original 10 foot tall statue to the completed 19 foot tall statue currently in place. “French worked very hard to incorporate Lincoln’s personality into the statue down to his hands. Lincoln’s statue has one hand clenched into a fist to show the strength and determination he needed during his Presidency and one hand open and relaxed, representing the compassion and respect Lincoln showed to all people” (“Lincoln Memorial”, 2007). Through this depiction, the memorial attempts to capture the reasons Lincoln is still respected today as a strong and even-handed president, great because of his ability to keep the country together. This central area is flanked by two side rooms, one to the south and one to the north, representative of the factions that were united by this one man. Each chamber contains a stone table carved with the words of Lincoln at key moments in his role as President and the walls contain murals that represent what these speeches gained for the country. The south chamber is the home of the Gettysburg Address, which eventually led to the emancipation of the slaves. The mural in this room, painted by Jules Guerin shows an angel flanked on either side by the freed slaves. According to the national site for the Lincoln Memorial, “The Angel of Truth is giving Freedom and Liberty to the slave. The shackles of bondage are falling from the arms and feet” (“Lincoln Memorial”, 2007). Images to the left of this central grouping represent justice and law while the images to the right represent immortality surrounded by faith, hope and charity. The north chamber holds the words of Lincoln’s second inaugural address which helped to heal a nation once divided. Guerin’s murals in this room depict the same Angel figure, now representing Unity by joining the hands of representatives from the north and south while her wings encourage continued peace by exploring thoughts through the arts of painting, philosophy, music, architecture, chemistry, literature and sculpture (“Lincoln Memorial”, 2007). As in the south chamber, this central group is flanked by other groups that further enrich our understanding of the image. The left grouping signifies fraternity while the right grouping seeks to convey charity. Through its art and architecture, the Lincoln Memorial is able to convey a wealth of information about the “god” who sits in such majesty in the central open area. Not only does it represent the many things he was able to accomplish in uniting a nation of free individuals regardless of color or origin, Lincoln was able to stand firm while remaining compassionate. He refused to tear apart the union even while going to war, and his Memorial unites history with the present and the future. The 87 steps leading from the Reflection Pool to his seat represent the four-score and seven years ago referenced in the Gettysburg Address just as the monument reflects an additional 12 states added to the union between his death and the monument’s construction, highlighting the importance of the man and his actions to the unity of the country as it exists today. Since the monument’s completion, it has served as a rallying point for numerous staged protests and events in the nation’s history, perhaps one of the most famous being Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Taking its inspiration from the ancient past, commemorating a well-beloved leader and inspiring generations to come, the Lincoln Memorial is art and architecture masterly combined into a cultural icon that will continue to communicate its message of brotherhood and equality for as long as it stands. Citizens of the United States can only hope that their leaders look at this Memorial and be inspired. The United States faces very difficult challenges: the economy is in shambles and it is involved in a war that (even though is not against each other) is taking a huge toll on the nation’s sense of itself and what it stands for. A strong leader has to emerge that shares Lincoln’s admirable qualities, the ones his Memorial embodies. Works Cited "Lincoln Memorial." National Park Service. 2007. U.S. Department of the Interior-National Park Service. 12 Oct 2008 . Read More