Some works of art are immediately identifiable throughout the world. A few that come to mind are Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, Michelangelo’s David, Alexandros of Antioch’s Venus de Milo, and Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker. Another one we can add to that list is the Statue of Liberty, a magnificent work of art that is known throughout the world as a symbol of freedom and democracy.

Designed by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty took 10 years to create—from 1876 to 1886. It was assembled in Paris, then disassembled into 350 pieces, packed into 214 crates, loaded onto a French Navy ship on May 21, 1885, and arrived in New York Harbor on June 17 of that year.

Read the full article in the July/August 2026 issue.

 

Early View of the Statue of Liberty, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi

 

L.A. Liberty, Pacita Abad