THE STATUE OF LIBERTY : LADY WITH THE TORCH
(By Subbaram Danda)
Standing majestically on a small island in the New York harbour for over a century and a quarter, the Statue of Liberty has mesmerized millions of visitors to the United States and natives alike, winning their hearts without exception. Its origin, development and features have no parallel. It is an “imposing work of art” and a “masterpiece of creative genius.”
It is hard to believe that the statue is not “Made in America.” It was conceived, designed and built by the French and offered to the Americans as a symbol of enduring friendship between the two. The amity had seen its zenith during the American Revolution, which culminated in the U.S. independence from the British in 1776.
Again, it is not widely known that French engineer Gustave Eiffel, who shot into fame with his later creation of Eiffel Tower in Paris, was associated with the statue. The expert, who had by then built several structures in France, joined hands with sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi in preparing the statue’s intricate interior body framework. The idea of commemorating the friendship through gift of a statue had come from French political celebrity Edouard de Laboulaye. Then it was the turn of Bartholdi and Eiffel to give shape to it.
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| Statue of Liberty |
Beacon of hope
It was decided that the statue should stand for and radiate the ideals of freedom, equality and opportunity. It should serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the suppressed all over the world. Bartholdi devised it as a lady figure with flowing robes taking a cue from Roman goddess of freedom Libertas. Scouting for an appropriate location, he thought that the New York harbour would be an excellent setting for the statue because it was where “people get their first view of the New World.” He selected the small Island in the harbour, which was then called Bedloe’s, for the purpose.
However, the journey to completion was not smooth for the statue. Mainly, it faced funding problems. It was subsequently agreed that the French would meet the cost of the statue and the Americans would take care of its erection on their soil. After nine years of toil, the statue was finally built to the satisfaction of everyone. To facilitate its shipping, 350 individual pieces of it were packed in 214 crates and despatched. It was reassembled in New York. An artistic pedestal that appeared to grow from an 11-pointed star-shaped granite-faced base was designed. It was inaugurated on Oct. 28, 1886 amidst scenes of euphoria. In mid-twentieth century the island was renamed Liberty Island.
Colossal dimensions
Today, as visitors board a ferry, climb to the top deck and leave the Battery Park pier in New York heading for the Statue of Liberty, an incredible skyline of the Big Apple unfolds. Skyscrapers of different shapes, sizes and colours present a picturesque sight to behold. Soon the celebrated statue appears in the firmament. Trying to withstand the pitching and rolling, the people jostle for a vantage point to click their cameras. The ferry gives the impression of circling the statue at a close range, offering several photo opportunities. When it docks for disembarkation, expectations run high. A neatly developed park and a wide promenade beckon them. As they move forward, sea on one side and a green lawn on the other with the monument soaring high, the visitors become awe-struck.
The Lady Liberty, as the statue is affectionately called, looks green with its exterior copper cladding having reacted constantly with the water vapours of the sea. Its colossal dimensions overwhelm everyone. It rises to a height of 305 feet – as tall as a thirty-storey modern building! Its weight is mind-boggling 204 tonnes -- as much as that of 40 elephants herded together! Its head measures 17 feet in height and its nose 4’6” in length.
Gilded torch
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| The torch |
The sculpture has undergone restoration periodically to meet the demands of time. Currently, its torch, made of copper but with a covering of 24-karat gold-leaf, shines brilliantly round the clock. During the day sunlight makes it dazzle and in the night floodlights turn it extra-ordinarily radiant. In the past, the statue had functioned as a light house powered by electricity and its light could be seen as far away as 40 kilometres.
A must-see attraction in the premises is a museum. It traces the history of the statue through replicas, photos, videos, posters, documents and other exhibits. It takes the visitors through the statue’s origins, fabrication, fund raising, pedestal erection and restoration.
Ageless symbol of freedom
As American poet Emma Lazarus said in a sonnet titled “The New Colossus,” the statue can be seen addressing repressive regimes and seeking possession of their suppressed. The verse exhorted: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free… Send….the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” The immigrants looked at the statue as their saviour offering them invaluable gifts of life -- freedom and opportunity.
The appeal of the message of “Liberty Enlightening the World,” as the statue is officially known, has been enormous. It has inspired people across the continents. In recognition, its models have been erected in several countries. In particular, on July 4, 2004, its largest replica in the world nearly 40 feet high was unveiled in the country of its origin France at Colmar to commemorate the 100th death anniversary of its sculptor Bartholdi. Stamps, coins and medallions have been issued several times.
In 1924, the statue was designated a national monument of the United States. In 1984, it was accorded the status of a World Heritage site by UNESCO, which described it as “a masterpiece of human spirit…, a technological wonder that brings together art and engineering in a new and powerful way.” Popularly hailed as “an ageless symbol of American freedom,” more than four million people visit it every year. Its 125th anniversary of dedication on October 28, 2011 was a grand affair.
November 12, 2011 (1130 words)
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