Lot 372: A Very Rare American Bronze Patinated Zinc Figure

A Very Rare American Bronze Patinated Zinc Figure of Andrew Jackson, 19th c., after the 1853 original in Washington D.C. by Clark Mills (American, 1810-1883), with brass foundry plaque from Cornelius and Baker, Philadelphia on base, inscribed "Patented, May 15, 1855" on side of sculpture, height 19 1/2 in., length 18 1/2 in., width 5 in., on a stone-shaped base, overall height 23 1/2 in.

Note: The larger than life size original of this Clark Mills Andrew Jackson equestrian statue was unveiled in 1853 in Washington D.C.'s Lafayette Square. The sculptor ambitiously chose the moment when Jackson, reining in his rearing horse, reviews his troops prior to the pivotal Battle of New Orleans. In preparation, Mills studied the uniform worn by Jackson that was displayed in the Washington D.C. Patent Office. The statue's design astounded everyone, since the only portions of the sculpture to touch the ground were the horse's hind feet. According to a contemporary account, the statue was lauded for, ". .exhibiting the features, the person, the apparel, the attitudes, and almost the action, which belonged to him [Jackson] at the moment of rendering the highest service to his country." This monument was the first equestrian statue erected in the United States, as well as the first major bronze cast. A second statue was placed in Jackson Square in New Orleans in 1856 (where it was chosen over the design by local sculptor Achille Perelli), and a third in Nashville in 1880 The unveiling of the statue in New Orleans took place amidst great celebration; there was a procession of local dignitaries to the site, music, speeches (including one by Clark Mills), and a 100 cannon salute from the levee. In 1840 on the 25th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, during his last visit to the city, General Andrew Jackson had laid the cornerstone in the "Place d'Armes" where his statue was eventually to re-side. Based on the "Place des Vosges" in Paris, the park was not re-named in Jackson's honor until 1851, several years after his death. Mills is considered one of America's first sculptors. Born in upstate New York, he ran away from home at the age of 13, eventually settling in Charleston where he began to work as an ornamental plasterer and sculptor. Initially he was hesitant to enter the contest for the Jackson Sculp-ture commission, fearing he was neither qualified nor experienced enough. Mills was awarded the Jackson commission based in part on the success of his bust of the revered South Carolina statesman John C. Calhoun (1782-1850). To prepare for the sculpture's production, Mills prac-ticed by casting large-scale bells. He eventually sold the design rights to the prominent Philadelphia firm of Cornelius and Baker (in partnership 1851-1861), a company known for its lighting fixtures and one of the pioneers in zinc casting. The company's skills are readily evident in this rare patinated zinc reduction. The technique was so advanced and innovative that Cornelius and Baker had the process patented. The Jackson sculpture, lot 372, is inscribed "Patented May 15, 1855" and tagged with the company's brass nameplate. It is marked with the letter "R" - possibly a maker's mark- and the Roman Numeral "XXIIII" - likely the number of production. This may have been a production technique for Cornelius and Baker and their sculptures seem often to incorporate some variation of letter and number combination, sometimes situated under the tail, other times beneath the coat. The Jackson sculpture was the company's most successful; examples of Cornelius and Baker Jackson sculptures are in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., the Tennessee State Museum, the Morris Museum in Geor-gia, the Virginia Museum of Art in Richmond, the New York Historical Society, the Andrew Jackson Historical Park Museum in South Carolina, and The White House. Reference: Barber, James. Andrew Jackson - A Portrait Study. National Portrait Gallery. 1991 pp. 212-216 ; Benezit. Dictionnaire des Peintres, Librairie Grund, 1976, vol. 7, p. 424 ; Ward, John William. Andrew Jackson - Symbol for an Age. Oxford University Press, London, 1962