Augustus Lukeman

Henry Augustus Lukeman (January 28, 1871 – April 3, 1935) was an American sculptor, specializing in historical monuments. Noted among his works are the World War I monument in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, the Kit Carson Monument in Trinidad, Colorado and the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial in Georgia.

Biography Early life and education Henry Augustus Lukeman was born on January 28, 1871, in Richmond, Virginia, and was raised in New York City. He is "said to have begun lessons at the National Academy and the Cooper Union School at age eleven," though a National Academy of Design source notes that the school's "registration records do not bear… out" this historical supposition. and, like Launt, There is report, potentially conflicting with other sources regarding his early training, that has him involved in an apprenticeship at the foundry of Jno. Williams, Inc. until he was 19. Likewise regarding a further report: that Lukeman studied terra cotta and architectural modeling for building and exterior decorations for several years, while in the evening studying life drawing (at the Cooper Union in New York). Lukeman is known to have attended classes at the National Academy for Design beginning in 1890, where records exist for his registration for the antique school (for two years),

When Lukeman returned to New York, he became an assistant to Daniel Chester French, a commitment that would last for a decade and a half, during which time he would also begin to execute his own commissions, there, Lukeman designed and supervised sculpting of the monument after removing the earlier work of Gutzon Borglum (the original commissionee, who had resigned Located above ground, and lacking the originally intended legs on the horses, the Lukeman-Hancock-Faulkner sculpture ultimately measured , and is recessed .

Lukeman died in New York on April 3, 1935, aged 63, leaving his wife, formerly, Helen Bidwell Blodgett.

Honors and awards

Lukeman's work was recognized by the Henry Street Settlement, and he was given an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Dickinson College.

Influences, and those influenced

Two significant influences were those whose training he extensively received, Launt Thompson and Daniel Chester French. In addition, Lukeman was known to have kept a small nude study executed by Kenyon Cox, one which "Cox considered among his best," Pulitzer Prize gold medal (with Daniel Chester French), 1918. The Prospect Park Memorial, 1921, a World War I monument, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Major General David McMurtrie Gregg, 1922, Reading, Pennsylvania. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, 1923, Pittsfield, Massachusetts; refurbished, with presentation, Memorial Day 2010. Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial, DeKalb County, Georgia, near Atlanta, 1925–1928; preceded in this project by Gutzon Borglum, and followed by Walker Hancock. Confederate Memorial Carving, Stone Mountain, as executed by Lukeman, Walker Hancock, and Roy Faulkner. Fuller E. Callaway, 1929, textile magnate portrait bust, Hills & Dales Estate, LaGrange, Georgia

Undated entries

Kit Carson equestrian statue, Trinidad, Colorado (with Frederick Roth).

The following entries, whose dates of execution are unknown, are ordered alphabetically by the subjects surname or place name: Francis Asbury Equestrian Sculpture, Washington, D.C. Francis Asbury Statue, Madison, New Jersey. Daniel Boone bas-relief portrait, Paris, Kentucky. Kit Carson Monument in Trinidad, Colorado; Royal Bank of Canada headquarters, four colossal statues, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Public Square, Watertown, New York. Soldiers' Monument, Somerville, Massachusetts.