Walker Hancock

Walker Kirtland Hancock (born June 28, 1901, St. Louis, Missouri, died December 30, 1998, Gloucester, Massachusetts) was an American sculptor of the 20th century noted for his monumental sculptures. He is well known, among other things, for his work on the memorial sculptures at Stone Mountain, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1989.

Hancock was born in St. Louis, Missouri, where he spent a year at the School of Fine Arts at Washington University, then transferred to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts to study with Charles Grafly. He subsequently taught at the academy from 1929-1967. During World War II and afterwards, as an Army captain, he led an effort to reclaim art stolen by the Nazis. From 1930 onwards he kept a studio in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to which he ultimately retired.

During his career Hancock created a number of prominent works, including a bust of President George H. W. Bush in the Capitol, a statue of James Madison in the Library of Congress, a Christ figure in the National Cathedral, busts of Earl Warren and Warren E. Burger in the Supreme Court building, and a 39-foot bronze angel in the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. He also served as chief carver on the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial. He received the Prix de Rome and the George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, both in 1925, the Herbert Adams Medal of Honor from the National Sculpture Society in 1954, the National Medal of Arts in 1989, and the Medal of Freedom in 1990.

Hancock's works include:
* At the Washington National Cathedral:
** Statue of Abraham Lincoln at the west end of the nave
** "Christ in Majesty" in the high altar reredos
** The altarpiece for the "Good Shepherd" chapel
* Bas reliefs at the Liberty Memorial, the national World War I monument in Kansas City, Missouri
* [http://www.philart.net/art.php?id=278 The Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial] in 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* James Madison in the Library of Congress
* Allegorical figures at the Soldiers' Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri
* [http://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/detail.aspx?ImageId=50767 Statue] of John Paul Jones (1957) at the William M. Reilly Memorial in Philadelphia.

He also designed the Air Medal after being enlisted in the army in WW II.

External links

* [http://www.philart.net/artist.php?id=101 Photos of Hancock's public art in Philadelphia] . Philart.net.

References

* [http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/hancoc77.htm Oral history interview] at Smithsonian Archives of American Art
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9800E1D91E3FF931A35752C0A96F958260 Obituary, The New York Times, January 2, 1999.]
* [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-578340.html Obituary, The Washington Post, January 3, 1999.]
* [http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug97/stone/hancock.html Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial]