Description

Description: Gutzon Borglum (1867-1941), the famed Danish-American sculptor of the one of the country’s most recognizable sculptures, Mount Rushmore, signed this black and white photograph of the monumental work in progress. Lengthy supports can be seen above the heads of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, but the head of Theodore Roosevelt is not yet realized.

Borglum oversaw the execution of the 60 ft. tall memorial beginning in 1927 alongside his son Lincoln Borglum. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt were chosen to represent the nation’s foundation, expansion, development, and preservation. Borglum originally intended to carve the four presidents down to their waists, but financial troubles and rock conditions prevented him from accomplishing that before his death in 1941, leaving just their busts. This photo was likely taken in 1938.

7 3/4″ x 9 7/8″. The photographer’s stamp on the verso reads: “Charles d’Emery of Manugian Studios South Norwalk, Conn.” Item #A01987

Condition: Fine condition.