Robert Gould Shaw Memorial

Richard Benson made this photograph of the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, sometime before his death in 2017. The memorial depicts Colonel Shaw, astride a horse, leading the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first Black regiments in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Benson’s photograph captures the monument's exploration of themes such as courage, sacrifice, and racial equality. Made from bronze in high relief, the original sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, which is located in Boston, commemorates a pivotal moment in American history, when formerly enslaved men took up arms to fight for their own liberation. Benson's photograph of the monument invites us to reflect on how public art shapes our understanding of history and social justice. Examining Benson's papers, as well as the records relating to the monument's commission and reception, will enrich our understanding of its artistic and historical significance.