Dedicated on July 4, 1856, this equestrian monument to George Washington is the oldest sculpture in New York City, not counting the ancient Egyptian Cleopatra’s Needle.
It captures a triumphant moment that marked the true end of the Revolutionary War in New York: Evacuation Day, November 25, 1783, when the last British troops finally left Manhattan after nearly seven years of occupation. As the British fleet sailed away, George Washington triumphantly rode into the city at the head of the Continental Army, reclaiming New York for the new nation. For New Yorkers throughout the 18th and much of the 19th century, Evacuation Day was every bit as important as the Fourth of July. It celebrated the moment New York was finally free.
The sculptor, Henry Kirke Brown, modeled the monument on the ancient Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome, placing America’s first president in the visual tradition of history’s great leaders. In both statues, the rider sits upright without dramatic movement, conveying confidence and dignity. The horse remains calm and controlled, emphasizing discipline rather than battle, while the rider’s outstretched right arm projects authority.
The differences, however, are telling. Washington is portrayed as a citizen-soldier rather than an emperor, dressed in the practical uniform of a Revolutionary War general instead of imperial robes. Whereas Marcus Aurelius is presented as an idealized ruler, Brown paid close attention to Washington’s actual appearance, the anatomy of his horse, and the naturalism of both figures. Most importantly, the Roman statue is symbolic, celebrating Emperor Marcus Aurelius as a victorious yet merciful ruler, while Brown’s monument captures a specific historical event: Washington’s triumphant entry into New York on Evacuation Day.
The bronze statue was cast at the Ames Foundry in Massachusetts, one of the first American foundries capable of producing monumental bronze sculptures. The elegant pedestal was designed by architect Richard Upjohn, best known for New York’s Trinity Church.
Henry Kirke Brown also sculpted the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the north end of Union Square, making him responsible for two of the park’s most significant monuments.
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