Dallin’s Paul Revere statue in Boston’s North End.
UPDATED, April 10: “Listen my children and you shall hear …” So begins Henry Longfellow’s famous poetic tribute to Paul Revere.
Hear it at the Dallin Art Museum on Sunday, April 14, as Arlington celebrates Patriots Day with readings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., by Rod Holland and Larry Slotnick.
Believe it or not, Paul Revere and Cyrus Dallin had much in common. These two remarkable Americans each rose above their struggles and disappointments to be remembered for their treasures that we enjoy today.
Paul Revere (1735–1818) was a silversmith, artist, patriot and industrialist.
Cyrus Dallin (1861–1944) was an artist, teacher and community activist.
Revere rode through Arlington, then called Menotomy, to Lexington and back in 1775; Dallin moved here in 1900 and stayed.
Both were artists
Both worked in metal/bronze as well as other materials.
Revere created sketches and drawings, in particular the Boston Massacre. He created the keel for the U.S Constitution (“Old Ironsides”), the copper dome of the new State House in Boston, and silver utensils and bowls.
Dallin created many drawings of his sculptures before he did the clay or plaster. He also created plaster and bronze sculptures in varying sizes and bas reliefs that were sometimes made into medals.
Similar values
Both men had durable ideals of equality, freedom, and democracy.
Revere worked tirelessly with the leaders of the Colonies in Philadelphia and New England, especially in Boston with John Hancock, John Adams and others, to prepare for the American Revolutionary War.
Dallin passionately advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples. He led the Massachusetts branch of a national organization that helped pass the Indian Reorganization Act (also called the Indian New Deal).
He also helped form the Indian Arts Fund and organized exhibits in the Boston area to raise awareness of the program. Through this work, Dallin pioneered the role of the artist as an agent of social change and paved the way for more inclusive public art in America. Dallin’s artistic vision characterized America’s cultural history and identity. His dedication, especially to the subject of Native Americans, changed the face of public art in America.
Both had difficulty with clients, especially getting paid for their work, and government leaders, but were admired by friends and the public.
Dallin’s Paul Revere statue
Dallin had a 57-year-long struggle with the City of Boston to erect his “Paul Revere” statue.
In 1883, a competition was held for an equestrian statue to honor Revere in one of the city squares. Although Longfellow immortalized Revere with his famous poem, there was still no monument in Boston to remind visitors of this stirring revolutionary episode that made the town famous.
Artists were instructed to send in their models by April 19, 1883, with $300 awarded to the three best designs.
Dallin was one of the three first-place winners for his “Waiting for the Lights.” However, the newspapers and wealthy Beacon Hill residents were outraged that one of the awards went to a 21-year-old nobody from Utah, which wasn’t even a state then, and who never had a professional exhibit. The prize money was taken back from all three winners.
Dallin, along with the other two winners, requested permission to submit another version. Over the next several decades, Dallin created seven more models, and the final one eventually became the “Paul Revere” sculpture in the Prado of Boston’s North End.
To learn more, visit the Dallin Museum.
The Dallin Museum is open for visits on Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. Larger group tours can be arranged by calling 781-641-0747 or at www.dallin.org.
This news announcement was published Sunday, April 7, 2019, and updated April 10, to add the readers’ names.
