The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberte Enlightening le monde) is a massive neoclassical statue situated on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, the United States. The statufiguree made of copper, which was an offering from the citizens of France to the citizens of the United States, was designed by French artists Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel, who constructed its metal frame. This statue’s dedication was on the 28th of October 28th, 1886.
The statue is of Libertas, a robed Roman Libertas goddess of liberty. She holds a torch on her head with her right hand, and with her left hand, she holds a tabula and ansata with the words JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776, using Roman numerals), which is the year of signing the U.S. Declaration of Independence. A broken chain and shackle are at her feet while she steps forward, celebrating the recent nationwide abolishment of slavery. Following its dedication, the statue became an emblem for freedom and, in the United States, seen as an emblem of welcome for immigrants arriving via the sea. H&A Pressure Washing NYC
Bartholdi was inspired by French law politician and professor Edouard Rene de Laboulaye, who is believed to have said about 1865 that any statue that was to be dedicated for U.S. independence would properly be a joint effort of two peoples: the French as well as the U.S. peoples. The Franco-Prussian War delayed progress until 1875 when Laboulaye suggested that the French pay for the statue and that the U.S. provide the site and construct the pedestal. Bartholdi completed the head, and the torch-bearing arm before the sculpture was created, and the statues were displayed for public display at international exhibitions.
The torch-bearing arm was exhibited in the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and Madison Square Park in Manhattan between 1876 and 1882. Fundraising was difficult, especially for Americans, and by 1885, the work on the pedestal was in danger due to a shortage of funds. The publisher, Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World, launched a campaign for donations to finish the project. The campaign attracted more than 120,000 supporters, and most of them contributed less than a dollar (equivalent to about $29 by 2020). The statue was constructed in France and then shipped to the United States in crates and then erected upon the pedestal, built on what was then Bedloe’s Island. The first parade of ticker tape in New York City, New York commemorated the statue’s completion. It also included the dedication ceremony presided over by President Grover Cleveland.
The statue was operated under the United States Lighthouse Board until 1901 and later was taken over by the Department of War; since 1933, it has been maintained through the National Park Service as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument is a major tourist attraction. Access to the terrace surrounding the torch has been restricted from 1916 onwards.
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