How a description of "Lincoln-shaped men" created a Gilded Age art colony
In short: In 1885, sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens arrived in Cornish, New Hampshire, seeking a specific landscape to model his latest commission. What began as a search for a temporary studio evolved into a prestigious community of artists, transforming a rundown tavern into a sanctuary for the era's most influential creators.
The catalyst for this artistic migration was a evocative description of the western New Hampshire region along the Connecticut River. Known as the "land of Lincoln-shaped men," the area promised a landscape that could serve as the perfect setting for Saint-Gaudens's statue of Abraham Lincoln. Upon his arrival in 1885, the sculptor and his wife, Augusta, were directed to an old, dilapidated tavern. While Saint-Gaudens was initially appalled by the condition of the building, Augusta recognized its potential, and the couple eventually established a permanent summer home and studio in the shadow of Mt. Ascutney.
Saint-Gaudens's presence acted as a magnet for talent, turning the Cornish site into a thriving art colony. He attracted a diverse group of notable figures, including Maxfield Parrish, Frederick MacMonnies, and Frances Grimes. This community reflected the values of "highbrow" Americans at the turn of the century, where leisure and fine living were central. The estate featured expansive gardens near the Pan Pool and even a small golf course built by the artist himself.
Despite his immense success, Saint-Gaudens's life was marked by both professional triumph and personal struggle. Between 1880 and 1907, he erected 35 public monuments across the United States, though the majority of his output consisted of bas-relief portraits for private clients. Even as he battled cancer, he sought health through physical activity. Ultimately, the man who operated four studios—in Paris, New York City, and Cornish—chose to be buried in the New Hampshire soil he had once only intended to visit temporarily.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Chickadees and Lincoln-Shaped Men: Life in the Cornish Colony of Artists
- Also: Saint Gaudens National Historic Site: Home of a Gilded Age Icon(Teaching with Historic Places) (U.S. National Park Service)
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