Brief Description
Made in Paris by the French sculptor Bartholdi, in
collaboration with Gustave Eiffel (who was responsible for the steel
framework), this towering monument to liberty was a gift from France on
the centenary of American independence in 1886. Standing at the entrance
to New York Harbour, it has welcomed millions of immigrants to the
United States ever since.
Statement of Significance
The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, a hollow colossus
composed of thinly pounded copper sheets over a steel framework, was
designed in Paris by the French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi, in
collaboration with the French engineer Gustave Eiffel, who was
responsible for its frame, intended as a gift from France for the
centenary of American independence in 1876. Its design and construction
were recognized at the time as one of the greatest technical
achievements of the 19th century, and, when finally dedicated a decade
later, it was hailed as a bridge between art and engineering. Atop its
pedestal, designed by noted American architect Richard Morris Hunt, on
an island at the entrance to New York Harbour, the Statue has since
welcomed millions of immigrants who arrived in the United States by sea.
Criteria
(i) This colossal statue is a masterpiece of the human spirit. The
collaboration between the sculptor Bartholdi and the engineer Eiffel
resulted in the production of a technological wonder that brings
together art and engineering in a new and powerful way.
(vi) The symbolic value of the Statue of Liberty lies in two basic
factors. It was presented by France with the intention of affirming the
historical alliance between the two nations. It was financed by
international subscription in recognition of the establishment of the
principles of freedom and democracy by the U.S. Declaration of
Independence, which the Statue holds in her left hand. The Statue also
soon became and has endured as a symbol of the migration of people from
many countries into the United States in the late 19th and the early
20th centuries. She endures as a highly potent symbol – inspiring
contemplation, debate and protest – of ideals such as liberty, peace,
human rights, abolition of slavery, democracy and opportunity.
Long Description
The Statue of Liberty is a masterpiece of the human creative
spirit. Its construction in the studios of Bartholdi in Paris represents
one of the greatest technical exploits of the 19th century. It welcomed
immigrants at the entrance to New York harbour, and so it is directly
and materially associated with an event of outstanding universal
significance: the populating of the United States, the melting pot of
disparate peoples in the second half of the 19th century. The fact that
the statue, whose funds were raised by international subscription, was
executed in Europe, by a French sculptor, strengthens the symbolic
interest of this world-renowned work.
During the second half of the 19th century, the population of the
United States almost doubled in 30 years, from 38,500,000 inhabitants in
1870 to 76,000,000 in 1900. This prodigious growth is principally due
to immigration which reached an unprecedented high at that time. Between
1840 and 1880, 9,438,000 foreigners landed in the United States, among
which, besides the British, were Germans, Irish and Scandinavian.
Between 1880 and 1914, the number of immigrants reached 22,000,000, this
time deriving mainly from southern and eastern Europe.
It is within this context the order was placed for the Statue of
Liberty, made in Paris by the French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste
Bartholdi, in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel, who conceived and
executed the metallic skeleton which was to form the interior framework.
The exterior 'envelope' was composed of brass plaques, formed by
hammering them in hard wood moulds made from plaster models. These
plaques were then soldered and riveted together. After Bartholdi
prefabricated the figure in Paris by moulding sheets of copper over a
steel framework, it was shipped to the United States in 241 crates in
1885.
Some of the money to erect the statue was contributed by American
schoolchildren. It is certain that for millions of immigrants who came
to America in the 19th century seeking freedom, it was the fulfilment of
their dreams. The sculptor also intended with his work to be an immense
and impressive symbol of human liberty, and it is one of the most
universal symbols of political freedom and democracy. The people of
France gave the statue to the people of the United States over 100 years
ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American
Revolution.
The Statue of Liberty, a woman holding on high a book and a 46 m long
torch set on Liberty Island, situated at the entrance to New York
harbour about 1 km from the landing point of the immigrants, was
dedicated on 28 October 1886 and was designated a National Monument on
15 October 1924. On 8 September 1937, jurisdiction was enlarged to
encompass all of Bedloe's Island and in 1956, the island's name was
changed to Liberty Island. On 11 May 1965, Ellis Island was also
transferred to the National Park Service and became part of the Statue
of Liberty National Monument.
'Liberty Enlightening the World' was extensively restored in time for
the spectacular centennial of American independence on 4 July 1986, for
whom it symbolized the ideals of Washington and Lincoln. It has
continued to inspire people across the world.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC
