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From Concept to Construction to Installation – Concept

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of fun-filled facts, historical information and interesting trivia about how the famous "Miss Liberty" went from a glimmer in a French sculptor's workshop to one of the most famous landmarks in the U.S.

First, a little background. Most people probably know that the Lady was designed by Auguste Bartholdi.

BartholdiBartholdi

But, many of us may not know that the model for the face was his mother, Charlotte...

Charlotte Charlotte
Charlotte Face in LibertyLiberty Face

…and the model for the arms and torso was his wife, Jeanne-Emilie.

Bartholdi wifeJeanne-Emilie

… and the model for her stance was an 1830 painting by Delacroix.

Delacroix painting: Liberty Guiding the PeopleLiberty Guiding the People, Delacroix, 1830.

The statue was commissioned by the Franco-American Union in 1874, and was to be a gift to the American people from France to celebrate friendship and freedom on the 100th anniversary of America’s independence. By the way, the Lady’s full name is: The Statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World.”

Paris plaque for LibertyPlaque

Additional Resources

The CDA web site provides many other resources for people interested in learning more about copper and its alloys.

Take a look at Innovations - our on-line magazine.

Please also check out Copper In Your Home - a section dedicated to consumers, with a special section just for kids!

If you need metallurgical or properties information, take a look at the Standards & Properties section.

Please also take a look at our application specific sections if you are looking for information regarding plumbing, electrical, architecture, and other copper alloy applications.