By Danfer Flores
The historic rare bronze copy of prized Abraham Lincoln’s bust, stays unnoticed for many students, staff and faculty walking around Dominican University’s campus.
One of Dominican’s prized possessions has been neglected behind Lewis Hall for 50 years. The bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln has no plaque, no lighting and no background history within reach.
Only the worn concrete pedestal, the cobwebs and debris on the face of Lincoln, and the small print with the name of world-famous sculptor Gutzon Borglum are proof of its history.
“It looks sad and the placement is bad,” student Emer Moloney said. “It looks like it hasn’t been taken care of.”
Borglum was best known for sculpting the massive faces of four American presidents on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
Before he tackled Mount Rushmore he had sculpted a marble head of Lincoln, which is now in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington. A mold of that statue was made and handful casts were made. Dominicans is just one of them, amongst the four other copies that are scattered around the nation.
This bronze bust came to Dominican in 1969, thanks to the generosity of the Sang family.
Philip D. Sang and his wife were known as prominent collectors in their time and close friends with Sister Candida Lund, the long-time president of Rosary (as Dominican was then known).
In 1969, the Sang family intended the bust to Lund, who originally meant for it to go into Dominican’s library that was then under construction. This is according to Dominican University’s archivist, Steven Szegedi.
It’s unclear why it didn’t go inside the library. It may be because of the cost-cutting of the original plan. That intended for the bust to be placed in an outdoor reading plaza, which ultimately fell through.
But it has suffered over the years.
Although the sculpture came with specific instructions to be kept within indoor conditions, it was put outside in 1974. That was during the same time the library became finished and opened to the campus. It is unclear when the decision was made to be pushed outside, Szegedi said.
Dominican had brought a restorer to examine the piece. The restorer concluded it could stay outside for about 10 more years before serious damage starts to accumulate. The restoration would cost in the low five figures, Szegedi said.
There is no further information about any future plans for the sculpture. Szegedi has the Lincoln sculpture is within his top five priorities but there are many contingencies to wait on.
Borglum was not commissioned to do this sculpture. He chose to do it from his own inspiration. Highly praised by both Robert Todd Lincoln, who is the son of Abraham Lincoln, and ex-president Theodore Roosevelt, Borglum has his marble sculpture put in the rotunda below the Capitol Dome.
Dominican’s bronze version is not so honored.
People often wonder why it is still there, and have no clue about it.
“Random students who want to procrastinate would like to read it,” Tara Segal, Director of University Ministry said.
Many people agree with Segal that a plaque would be a great addition for the sculpture. It would definitely highlight its importance. Dominican University may or may not prioritize this any time soon. However, it is a great idea for a project in the future.
