American Eagles

Charged with conceiving a fresh interpretation of the American eagle with which to adorn the headquarters of the Federal Trade Commission, sculptor Sidney Waugh disposed of the classic shield, fasces, and insignia ordinarily found adorning depictions of eagles in Washington, D.C.  In lieu of the typical frontal view with wings spread, Waugh’s eagles are shown in profile with wings folded at their sides. However, despite this unconventional vantage point, the eagles lose none of their majesty or strength; the clean, modern lines of Waugh’s work highlight the bird’s regal nature and physique.

Sidney Waugh completed a degree in architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1923, prior to traveling to Rome to study sculpture at the Scuola delle Belle Arte. In 1929 he received the prestigious Prix de Rome scholarship and studied at the American Academy in Rome. During World War II, Waugh served as a Monuments Man in North Africa and Italy. His art has been featured in exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Waugh’s work can also be found adorning buildings throughout Washington, D.C. and two additional examples flank the FTC building: to the west, his sculpture Guardianship stands at the Constitution Avenue entrance to the National Archives, and to the east his Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain is located across from the National Gallery of Art.