Gutzon Borglum

Gutzon Borglum - Sculptors, Facts and Childhood

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Gutzon Borglum's Personal Details

Gutzon Borglum was an artist and sculptor from America

InformationDetail
BirthdayMarch 25, 1867
Died onMarch 6, 1941
NationalityAmerican
FamousSculptors, Miscellaneous
City/StateIdaho
SiblingsSolon Borglum
Known asJohn Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum
ChildrensLincoln Borglum
Universities
  • Académie Julian
Birth PlaceSt. Charles, Idaho, United States
ReligionMormonism
GenderMale
FatherChristina Mikkelsen Borglum
MotherJens Møller Haugaard Børglum
Sun SignAries
Born inSt. Charles, Idaho, United States
Famous asSculptor
Died at Age73

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Gutzon Borglum's photo

Who is Gutzon Borglum?

Gutzon Borglum, born as John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, was an artist and sculptor from America. He was best known for his association with the establishment of Mount Rushmore National Memorial located at Mount Rushmore of South Dakota. He was also associated with a few other works of art including memorial Start Westward of United States and the statue of Daniel Butterfield. A graduate of St. Mary's College and Creighton Preparatory School, Borglum was a child of Mormon polygamy. His public life was also the talk of the town just like his professional life. He was an active member of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Borglum, who was the Grand Representative of Grand Lodge of Denmark, was also active in the group that organized the New York Armory Show in 1913. He was a part of the Ku Klux Klan as well and was one of the six knights who assembled on the Imperial Koncilium, which transferred leadership of Ku Klux Klan from the Imperial Wizard Colonel Simmons to the Imperial Wizard Hiram Evans. Borglum, who died from complications during a surgery in 1941, is buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Memorial Court of Honor alongside his second wife, Mary Montgomery Williams Borglum.

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Childhood & Early Life

Gutzon Borglum, a child of Mormon polygamy, was born on March 25, 1867 in St. Charles, Idaho Territory, U.S.A. His father, Jens Møller Haugaard Børglum, had two wives: Gutzon's mother, Christina Mikkelsen, and Gutzon's mother's sister Ida.

Borglum had a younger brother named Solon who was also an established sculptor. He also had step-siblings.

He was enrolled at the St. Mary's College, Kansas and later relocated to Omaha, Nebraska to attend Creighton Preparatory School. There he also served in a machine shop.

Career

Gutzon Borglum initially worked at a machine shop and then started sculpting. In 1901, he sculpted saints as well as apostles for new Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. In 1906, he made a sculpture with a group that went on to be accepted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In 1908, he won a competition and was allocated the task to build a statue of Civil War General Philip Sheridan. This statue was then placed in the Sheridan Circle in Washington. D.C.

Soon after this, Borglum created the sculpture Rabboni at the Rock Creek Cemetery as a grave site for Ffoulke Family. He then became one of the drafters of the Czechoslovak declaration of independence in 1918.

In 1919, one of his most unusual pieces, ‘Aviator,’ was completed. This was the memorial of the World War I official James R. McConnell and is located at the University of Virginia.

In the year 1923, another version of the General Philip Sheridan statue was erected in Chicago, Illinois. Two years later, the American artist moved to Texas to work on the monument to trail drivers that was commissioned by the Trail Drivers Association. The monument stands in front of the Trail Drivers Memorial Hall and Texas Pioneer, next to Witte Museum in San Antonio.

Borglum’s head of Abraham Lincoln that was carved from a six-ton block of marble went on to be exhibited in Theodore Roosevelt's White House. It can now be found in United States Capitol Crypt, Washington, D.C.

From 1927–1941, the sculptor was involved in the Mount Rushmore project. He initially carved the face of Thomas Jefferson which was later joined by presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Borglum died in March 1941 and his son, Lincoln Borglum, finished another season at Rushmore.

Major Works

Gutzon Borglum was involved in the carving of the Stone Mountain in Georgia. In 1915, he was approached by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who wanted him to carve bust of General Robert E. Lee on the mountain's rockface. Carving of the mountain officially began in June 1923 and the following year, Lee's head was unveiled to a large crowd.

In the year 1915, Memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson that is located at Baker Cottage, Saranac Lake was also unveiled by Borglum.

He built the statue of the American Civil War’s General Daniel Butterfield at the Sakura Park in Manhattan.

Borglum created a memorial to Vanzetti and Sacco in 1928. Its plaster cast now resides in the Boston Public Library. The memorial Start Westward of the United States (located in Marietta, Ohio) was also sculpted by Borglum.

Another design of the American artist is the North Carolina Monument that resides on the Seminary Ridge at Gettysburg Battlefield in the south-central Pennsylvania.

Awards & Achievements

In 1906, Gutzon Borglum made a group sculpture that was later on accepted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art—the first ever sculpture by a living American the museum had bought. Borglum was also honored with the Logan Medal of the Arts.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1889, Gutzon Borglum married Elizabeth Janes. She was ex-wife of J. W. Putnam and 19 years older to him. The couple faced marital problems and got separated in 1903. However, they officially got divorced only in 1908.

On May 20, 1909, Borglum married his second wife, Mary Montgomery Williams. The couple together had two sons and a daughter, including Lincoln and Mary Ellis (Mel) Borglum Vhay.

Borglum died on March 6, 1941 due to complications during a surgery. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park located in Glendale, California. Later on, his wife was also interred beside him.

Trivia

Borglum is characterized in the 2007 flick ‘National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets’.

He is a prominent character in the novel titled ‘Black Hills’. This novel by Dan Simmons came out in 2010.

The first posthumous medallion of Borglum was created by Canadian Christian Cardell Corbet. The medallion currently resides at the Gutzon Borglum Museum in South Dakota.

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Gutzon Borglum biography timelines

  • // 25th Mar 1867
    Gutzon Borglum, a child of Mormon polygamy, was born on March 25, 1867 in St. Charles, Idaho Territory, U.S.A. His father, Jens Møller Haugaard Børglum, had two wives: Gutzon's mother, Christina Mikkelsen, and Gutzon's mother's sister Ida.
  • // 1889
    In 1889, Gutzon Borglum married Elizabeth Janes. She was ex-wife of J. W. Putnam and 19 years older to him. The couple faced marital problems and got separated in 1903. However, they officially got divorced only in 1908.
  • // 1901
    Gutzon Borglum initially worked at a machine shop and then started sculpting. In 1901, he sculpted saints as well as apostles for new Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. In 1906, he made a sculpture with a group that went on to be accepted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  • // 1906
    In 1906, Gutzon Borglum made a group sculpture that was later on accepted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art—the first ever sculpture by a living American the museum had bought. Borglum was also honored with the Logan Medal of the Arts.
  • // 1908
    In 1908, he won a competition and was allocated the task to build a statue of Civil War General Philip Sheridan. This statue was then placed in the Sheridan Circle in Washington. D.C.
  • // 1909
    On May 20, 1909, Borglum married his second wife, Mary Montgomery Williams. The couple together had two sons and a daughter, including Lincoln and Mary Ellis (Mel) Borglum Vhay.
  • // 1915
    Gutzon Borglum was involved in the carving of the Stone Mountain in Georgia. In 1915, he was approached by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who wanted him to carve bust of General Robert E. Lee on the mountain's rockface. Carving of the mountain officially began in June 1923 and the following year, Lee's head was unveiled to a large crowd.
  • // 1915
    In the year 1915, Memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson that is located at Baker Cottage, Saranac Lake was also unveiled by Borglum.
  • // 1918
    Soon after this, Borglum created the sculpture Rabboni at the Rock Creek Cemetery as a grave site for Ffoulke Family. He then became one of the drafters of the Czechoslovak declaration of independence in 1918.
  • // 1919
    In 1919, one of his most unusual pieces, ‘Aviator,’ was completed. This was the memorial of the World War I official James R. McConnell and is located at the University of Virginia.
  • // 1923
    In the year 1923, another version of the General Philip Sheridan statue was erected in Chicago, Illinois. Two years later, the American artist moved to Texas to work on the monument to trail drivers that was commissioned by the Trail Drivers Association. The monument stands in front of the Trail Drivers Memorial Hall and Texas Pioneer, next to Witte Museum in San Antonio.
  • // 1927
    From 1927–1941, the sculptor was involved in the Mount Rushmore project. He initially carved the face of Thomas Jefferson which was later joined by presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Borglum died in March 1941 and his son, Lincoln Borglum, finished another season at Rushmore.
  • // 1928
    Borglum created a memorial to Vanzetti and Sacco in 1928. Its plaster cast now resides in the Boston Public Library. The memorial Start Westward of the United States (located in Marietta, Ohio) was also sculpted by Borglum.
  • // 1941
    Borglum died on March 6, 1941 due to complications during a surgery. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park located in Glendale, California. Later on, his wife was also interred beside him.
  • // 2007
    Borglum is characterized in the 2007 flick ‘National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets’.
  • // 2010
    He is a prominent character in the novel titled ‘Black Hills’. This novel by Dan Simmons came out in 2010.

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Gutzon Borglum's FAQ

  • What is Gutzon Borglum birthday?

    Gutzon Borglum was born at 1867-03-25

  • When was Gutzon Borglum died?

    Gutzon Borglum was died at 1941-03-06

  • Where was Gutzon Borglum died?

    Gutzon Borglum was died in Chicago

  • Which age was Gutzon Borglum died?

    Gutzon Borglum was died at age 73

  • Where is Gutzon Borglum's birth place?

    Gutzon Borglum was born in St. Charles, Idaho, United States

  • What is Gutzon Borglum nationalities?

    Gutzon Borglum's nationalities is American

  • Who is Gutzon Borglum siblings?

    Gutzon Borglum's siblings is Solon Borglum

  • Who is Gutzon Borglum childrens?

    Gutzon Borglum's childrens is Lincoln Borglum

  • What was Gutzon Borglum universities?

    Gutzon Borglum studied at Académie Julian

  • What is Gutzon Borglum's religion?

    Gutzon Borglum's religion is Mormonism

  • Who is Gutzon Borglum's father?

    Gutzon Borglum's father is Christina Mikkelsen Borglum

  • Who is Gutzon Borglum's mother?

    Gutzon Borglum's mother is Jens Møller Haugaard Børglum

  • What is Gutzon Borglum's sun sign?

    Gutzon Borglum is Aries

  • How famous is Gutzon Borglum?

    Gutzon Borglum is famouse as Sculptor