Saint-Gaudens

Our National Parks quest continued last weekend when we visited Saint-Gaudens, New Hampshire's only National Park (National Historic Site).  Saint-Gaudens is the home, studios and gardesn of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's greatest sculptors.  The grounds have more than 100 of his artworks in the galleries and on the grounds, from heroic public monuments to expressive portrait reliefs, and the gold coins which changed the look of American coinage. 

Farragut Monument - Saint-Gaudens' first commissioned public monument.

The pedestal of the Farragut monument was designed by architect Stanford White.

Angel with Tablet - this gold relief work and reflecting pool was spectacular.

There were gold turtles on either end of the reflecting pool and the park rangers told us to look for real frogs in and around the pool.  We were surprised by how many we saw.

Frog swimming in the reflecting pool.

The Puritan

Relief portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson.

At the request of President Theodore Roosevelt, Saint-Gaudens designed three coins for the United States Mint - the one cent piece, the 10 dollar gold piece and the 20 dollar gold piece ("double eagle").  With this commission, Saint-Gaudens became the first sculptor fully to design an American coin.

Lincoln

Elizabeth examines some modern art.

Diana (1/2 size) - was designed as a weather vane and was the first illuminated statue in New York City.

Little Studio - Saint-Gaudens worked here by himself.  He designed the pergola with Doric columns in 1889 after a trip to Italy.  The building now exhibits works by Saint-Gaudens, such as Diana (above).

Some of the beautiful gardens of Aspet, which was Saint-Gaudens' home.

Elizabeth was in a "mood", but nature (catepillars, in this instance) always brightens her mood.

Adams Memorial.  This recast of the bronze funerary sculpture commissioned by historian Henry Adams for his wife is a pretty haunting piece.  Saint-Gaudens called it "The Myster of the Hereafter...beyond pain and beyond joy."

The Shaw Memorial, which can also be found in the Boston Common.  This is a monument to the Civil War service of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment of African American Volunteers in Boston.

Check out Elizabeth's 'tude.

She was interested only when she could read various information for herself.

Emily worked on very hard to become a junior ranger.  Elizabeth, in a mood, was not interested.

Taking the junior ranger oath.

Showing off her junior range badge!