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French Monuments

Daniel Chester French was commissioned in 1900 by Harriette Goelet to create a bronze statue titled "Alma Mater" in memory of her husband Robert Goelet, who graduated from Columbia University in 1860. The statue depicts "Alma Mater" holding a scepter of wisdom and sits in front of Low Library at Columbia University, where it was unveiled in 1903 and underwent renovation in 2003 for its 100th anniversary.

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32 views3 pages

French Monuments

Daniel Chester French was commissioned in 1900 by Harriette Goelet to create a bronze statue titled "Alma Mater" in memory of her husband Robert Goelet, who graduated from Columbia University in 1860. The statue depicts "Alma Mater" holding a scepter of wisdom and sits in front of Low Library at Columbia University, where it was unveiled in 1903 and underwent renovation in 2003 for its 100th anniversary.

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Daniel Chester French

"Alma Mater"
The school we know as Columbia University was founded as King's College by King George II in 1754. After the American Revolution, the school was rechartered as Columbia College in 1784 and subsequently was renamed Columbia University.

Columbia College's seal (see the image above), designed in the 1700's, shows a stylized image of "Alma Mater" (latin for "nourishing mother," a common term for the college one attends). Holding the scepter of wisdom, the words below "Alma Mater" reference verses from 1 Peter 2: "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies and all slander, as new born babes, desire the sincere milk o fthe word, that ye may grow thereby." Above "Alma Mater" is a portion of Psalm 36:9, "By your light do we see."

Harriette W. Goelet commissioned Daniel Chester French to make a memorial to her husband, Robert Goelet, who graduated from Columbia University in 1860. Design of the statue (in bronze, on a marble and granite base designed by McKim, Mead & White) began in 1900 and it was unveiled and dedicated on September 23, 1903. "Alma Mater" sits in front of Columbia University's Low Library on its main campus in Morningside Heights in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The statue and its base underwent a major renovation in 2003, in preparation for the 100th anniversary of its installation. Details about the renovation can be found in an article in "Columbia News".
Daniel Chester French's "Alma Mater" sits in front of Columbia University's Low Library in a plaza which is at the center of the university's campus.Alma Mater" sits on a base of marble and granite which was designed by French's friend, Charles FollenMcKim. It was McKim who recommended French to HarrietteGoelet to create the sclupture in memory of her husband.

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