Happy Birthday! George Washington by Thomas Ball, Charlestown, MA sculptor.

Boston Public Gardens – Arlington St. Thomas Ball (1819 -1911), Sculptor Bronze/Stone

In Honor of George Washington's Birthday 2/22/14

Sculptor Thomas Ball created this equestrian statue of George Washington which was cast, mounted, and dedicated in 1869. The statue’s sword has been broken so often by vandals that it was finally replaced with fiberglass. The plaster study of it is on display in the Boston Atheneum Reading Room.

Since 1776, George Washington has been called The Father of Our Country by his fellow Americans. If there was an American Mount Olympus, Washington would be at the pinnacle.

Since the 1790s his image was everywhere on paintings, coins, prints, plates as well as seen here as a statute.

John Adams once said that George Washington had “the gift of taciturnity,” meaning he had an instinct for the eloquent silence. Here depicted as the resilient Military General of the American Revolution, not obsessed with winning battles but stead fast in his will to keep his Continental Army surviving and alive, wearing down the will of the British Army.

George Washington’s strength, whether it be military or political, was in his ability to surrender his omnipotent power as a leader in both positions of leadership.

Washington began the tradition of a two-term presidency, national unity and the long standing policy of independence from foreign powers, Proclamation of Neutrality “the strategy of enlightened procrastination.” (Ellis,127-131 )

Happy Birthday to George Washington, father of our country, from Joe Gallo author of "Boston Bronze and Stone Speak To Us"another celebration of great American events and people through the medium of Boston Statues and Monuments.
"Boston Bronze and Stone Speak To Us"can be purchased At Bestsellers Bookstore Cafe, Old North Church Gift Store, Amazon.com and Barnesd & Noble Book Stores.