Dedicated in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial has become a cultural icon and a gathering place for some of the most significant and symbolic events of the past 100 years. It has become an almost sacred space for civic expression focusing on race relations and human rights.

The Concord Museum’s current exhibition, The Lincoln Memorial Illustrated, explores the planning and construction of the Lincoln Memorial through illustrations, sculpture, and archival materials. Designed by architect Henry Bacon, it was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, a resident of Concord.  

Starting in 1915, French made at least four models for the Abraham Lincoln memorial.  He drew upon Mathew Brady’s photographic portrait and Leonard Volk’s life casts of the president’s face and hands. During the construction of the memorial, French brought photographic enlargements of the model to the site and, along with Bacon, decided upon nineteen feet as the appropriate size for the statue. The resulting carving from 28 blocks of Georgia marble took more than a year to complete, with French himself making the final adjustments.

Originally proposed two years after Lincoln’s death in 1865, the Lincoln Memorial took more than a half-century to realize.  Honoring the “Savior of our Union,” the memorial was dedicated on May 30, 1922.  Today, millions visit the memorial each year – walking up a great flight of stairs to enter an immense temple. French and Bacon’s incredible collaboration greets them there – an enormous, seated marble figure radiating dignity, wisdom, and gravitas.

The Concord Museum’s exhibition focuses on the development of the Lincoln Memorial as a symbolic element in illustrations, political cartoons, and popular culture, including works by noted artists such as Norman Rockwell. A four-minute looping media installation by Richard Lewis Media Group features sketches, photographs and films of the Memorial’s construction and iconic moments in its history.

Featured moments include contralto Marian Anderson’s iconic 1939 Lincoln Memorial Concert and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington.

Visitors have a unique opportunity to browse the many multimedia artworks which portray the Memorial’s cultural significance including original paintings and illustrations, archival photographs, sculpture, artifacts, ephemera, and more.

Created by the Norman Rockwell Museum in collaboration with Chesterwood (the historic summer home and studio of Daniel Chester French), The Lincoln Memorial Illustrated exhibition at the Concord Museum will run through February 26, 2023. Learn more at concordmuseum.org/exhibitions

All photos courtesy of the Concord Museum, Chesterwood: National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Norman Rockwell Museum.