Bartholdi, Frédéric Auguste, << bahr tawl DEE or bahr THOL dee, fray day REEK oh GOOST >> (1834-1904), was a French sculptor. He specialized in creating enormous patriotic sculptures glorifying French nationalism and friendship between France and the United States. His most famous work is the Statue of Liberty. For a discussion of Bartholdi’s role in creating this monument, see Statue of Liberty (History).
Bartholdi was born on April 2, 1834, in Colmar. In 1856, he joined the French painter Jean Leon Gerome on a trip to Egypt. There Bartholdi was influenced by the colossal monuments of ancient Egypt. His other major works include Lafayette (1876) in New York City; the Bartholdi Fountain (1876) in the U.S. Botanical Gardens in Washington, D.C.; and the Lion of Belfort (1880), which sits on a hillside above Belfort, France. Bartholdi died on Oct. 4, 1904.
