FRANKFORT, KY— The City of Hodgenville, LaRue County and Preservation of Lincoln's Heritage, Inc., will dedicate and unveil the new bronze sculpture, The Boy Lincoln, at 11:00 a.m. EDT, Saturday, May 31, 2008, in Hodgenville, Ky. The in-the-round, life-size sculpture depicting Abraham Lincoln shortly before his eighth birthday will be positioned on the town square so young Lincoln's gaze is into the face of himself: a seated portrait of President Lincoln by Adolph A. Weinman, dedicated 99 years ago, also on May 31st.

The sculpture group, Daub-Firmin-Hendrickson of Berkeley, California was commissioned to create The Boy Lincoln sculpture. Lead sculptors Robert Firmin and Eugene Daub will install the sculpture in the week preceding the dedication and will stay for the unveiling as well as make a presentation on “The Making of the Boy Lincoln Sculpture,” at 1:30 p.m. EDT, on May 31st, at the Hodgenville Civic Center, 200 South Lincoln Boulevard, Hodgenville, Ky.

 

“We are thrilled to be able to do the boy Lincoln sculpture,” says Firmin. “Much of what we do is historical figures because we love to research the history of our society. We are fortunate to have the resources of the UC [University of California] Berkeley Libraries here, in which we found that somewhat more is known about Lincoln’s boyhood than expected. We are convinced that the education system of the time had a profound influence on stimulating Lincoln’s intellectual and moral development. His dog “Honey,” which he rescued and nursed back to health, is included in the sculpture as a way to show his compassionate character. It is not hard to believe that this gangly, compassionate boy with a strong moral background and a fascination with reading, would go on from Kentucky to the greatness of his legacy.”

 

Funding for the project has been provided by the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission through the Kentucky Arts Council, which worked in an advisory capacity for the public art commission of the Boy Lincoln.

 

Other activities of the day will include a flag raising ceremony, brunch at the Hodgenville Women’s Club, Kentucky Humanities Council Chatauqua Presentations of “Mary Todd Lincoln” and “Margaret Garner,” a school presentation of “A Land for All Times,” Lincoln Heritage Trail Marker Unveiling, sales of specially developed Lincoln products by Kentucky artists, Kentucky Historical Society HistoryMobile with Lincoln Exhibit, Children’s Pioneer Games, a viewing of the KET production “I too, am a Kentuckian,” as well as the exhibits at the Lincoln Museum and tours of Abraham Lincoln Birthplace. 

 

The Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission’s mission is to commemorate, in conjunction with the National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln, emphasizing Kentucky’s contribution to his thoughts and ideals.

Funding for the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet, is provided by the Kentucky State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

 

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, invests in programs that develop vibrant communities, provide lifelong education in the arts and support arts participation. Every $1 invested in operating support grants by the Kentucky Arts Council leverages $24 in earned income and matching funds from individuals, philanthropic sources and other levels of government.