Saint-Gaudens, Augustus (1848-1907)

Irish-born US sculptor. He was one of the leading neoclassical sculptors of his time. His monuments include the Admiral Farragut 1878-81 in Madison Square Park, New York City, and the Adams Memorial 1891 in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, DC.

He was taken to the USA as an infant, trained as a cameo cutter, studied at the National Academy of Design, and from 1867 traveled widely in Europe. After studying at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he returned to the USA; established studios in New York City 1876 and Cornish, New Hampshire, 1885; and worked with the nation's major architects to produce public monuments. He also designed bronze medals, plaques, portrait tablets, and low reliefs. He was commissioned 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt to redesign US gold coinage; the 1907 double eagle ($20) was the only design approved before his death.