Photo CreditCarol M. Highsmith Photography
Africa
Artist
Daniel Chester French
Year1907
Classification
sculpture
Medium
Tennessee marble
Dimensions10' 4"
Credits
Fine Arts Collection
U.S. General Services Administration
U.S. General Services Administration
- One of four sculptures (The Continents) on the front entrance facade, made of Tennessee Marble, and resting on high platforms. Figures represent ancient and modern seafaring continents and sculptured masks of the races of Man. Similarites link the four sculpture groups. The main figure in each is an idealized seated young woman surrounded by symbolic representations, including stereotypes that were considered acceptable in the time that they were made. The figure of Africa is portrayed as "sleeping." In the center of the sculpture is the seated female figure of Africa. She is nude, with a large cloth draped across her lap and covering her legs. Her head is bowed in sleep. The hair is fashioned into a braid at the nape of her neck; the braid falls down the front proper left side of her torso ending at her lap. Her proper left foot is forward and rests on a carved rock out-cropping. Her proper right leg is bent so that the calf is at a 45 degree angle to the seat. Africa's proper right arm rests on the head of a sphinx, who sits slightly behind and to the proper right. The sphinx looks out to the proper right (north east). His head rests on a carved rock out-cropping. The proper left arm of Africa rests on the head of a lion who sits by her proper left side. The fingers of her proper left arm rest on her proper left thigh. Next to the sphinx, at the proper right rear corner of this sculpture, is a seated, fully cloaked figure. The proper right hand of this figure holds the top of a large urn which is located at the proper left rear of the sculpture grouping. Adjacent to the back of the cloaked figure and the central figure, is a standing tulip vase. The statue of Africa is made from at least five (5) sections of Tennessee marble. A carved base is part of the carved sculpture. On the proper left side of the base near the rear edge, the letters "D.C. French S.C." are engraved. Below this is a second series of engraved letters which read "A.A. Weinman ASST", these letters are almost illegible. The alignment between the large carved sections of stone and the granite base is fairly regular around all sides (Source: 100 Years of Grandeur The Alexander Hamilton United States Custom House).
