Cornish Celebration Presentation Plaque

Art Historical Context

Behold the *Cornish Celebration Presentation Plaque* (1905–6; cast ca. 1913), a masterful gilt bronze relief by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of foremost sculptors of the Gilded Age. Saint-Gaudens, celebrated his Beaux-Arts monuments like the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, crafted this plaque amid the vibrant artists' colony he helped establish in Cornish, New Hampshire. The work commemorates one of the colony's famed annual "Celebrations"—festive pageants blending music, dance, and classical tableaux that drew luminaries to the idyllic landscape. Measuring an impressive 32½ × 18⅞ inches, the plaque's low-relief surface captures motifs of temples and trees, evoking ancient grandeur intertwined with nature's serenity. Gilding enhances the bronze's luster, highlighting Saint-Gaudens' virtuosic technique in modeling light and shadow for dramatic depth. This presentation piece, likely awarded to honor a participant, exemplifies his ability to infuse public art with personal, communal joy. Housed in The Met's American Wing, the plaque reflects early 20th-century America's cultural renaissance, where elite artists fostered utopian retreats. A testament to Saint-Gaudens' legacy, it invites visitors to envision Cornish's enchanted gatherings amid rustling trees and imagined ruins.

About the Artist

Augustus Saint-Gaudens · 1848–1907

Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907) was an Irish-born American sculptor widely regarded as the greatest American sculptor of the nineteenth century. Born in Dublin to a French father and Irish mother, he was brought to New York City as an infant. He trained as a cameo cutter, studied at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design, and then traveled to Paris, where he studied at the École de...