Fine Arts

Behold the Beauty: George Washington’s Centennial Arch

The triumphal marble arch celebrates America’s first president and harks back to antiquity.
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Behold the Beauty: George Washington’s Centennial Arch
The south façade of Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park, New York City. The marble arch commemorates the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration. Devadvance/CC BY-SA 3.0
Lorraine Ferrier
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In 1889, architect Stanford White made a wooden triumphal arch for New York’s Washington Square Park to celebrate the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration at the city’s Federal Hall. The temporary arch, topped with a wooden sculpture of the first president, was decorated with classical motifs made of papier-mâché and plaster.

The centennial arch was deemed so impressive that White was commissioned to make a permanent monument in the park. Dedicated on May 4, 1895, the permanent Washington Square Arch, made of marble, stands 73 feet, 6 inches tall.

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Lorraine Ferrier
Lorraine Ferrier
Author
Lorraine Ferrier writes about fine arts and craftsmanship for The Epoch Times. She focuses on artists and artisans, primarily in North America and Europe, who imbue their works with beauty and traditional values. She's especially interested in giving a voice to the rare and lesser-known arts and crafts, in the hope that we can preserve our traditional art heritage. She lives and writes in a London suburb, in England.