The bronze statue of city namesake Andrew Jackson astride his rearing horse that’s been a Downtown landmark for more than 26 years has been restored to its original condition.
The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and the Art in Public Places program, with $3,500 from the city Public Works Department, commissioned a conservation of “Andrew Jackson Reviewing the Troops at the Battle of New Orleans.”
The 2,800-pound bronze likeness is a replica of the equestrian sculpture by Clark Mills in Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., near the White House.
Sculptors Enzo Torcoletti and Joe Segal spent Sunday and Monday cleaning and repairing the statue and then applied two coats of wax to preserve the finish.
The job is the first of several on the schedule, said Christie Holechek, Art in Public Places manager.
In November 2012, all of the many monuments and memorials owned by the city were evaluated and prioritized for maintenance. The statue of Jackson and his mount topped the list of the 20 pieces that were assessed.
The outdoor artwork, the silhouette of which is on the city seal and flag, was dedicated on June 27, 1987, by Mayor Jake Godbold and U.S. Rep. Charles E. Bennett. Its original location was atop a concrete base near the foot of Hogan Street between the Jacksonville Landing and the Times-Union Center.
The statue was moved July 10, 2010, to its present location as part of the Laura Street improvement project.
Downtown art trivia: According to an article published Aug. 3, 2010, in The Washington Post, while Jackson rode several horses during his military career, his steed at the Battle of New Orleans was named “Duke.” Mills’ original bronze was erected in 1853 and was the first equestrian statue in the world to be balanced on the horse’s hind legs.
Holechek said next on the list for conservation are the bust of Robert Burns in the city cemetery and the Ponce de Leon memorial in Friendship Park.
To learn more about Art in Public Places, visit culturalcouncil.org
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