From the steps of the University of Washington's Suzzallo Library, the profile of Lorado Taft's giant sculpture of George Washington, framed by Barnett Newman's "Broken Obelisk", appears to be watching over the I-5 traffic on the Ship Canal Bridge. At times it can seem like the traffic moves as swiftly as the statue...
The sculpture of the first President was unveiled on June 14, 1909, just in time for the opening of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon Exposition and represents yet another legacy of this bold fair. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution along with school children throughout the state and the state commission of the Alaska-Yukon Exposition paid for Mr. Taft's work. Lorado Taft grew up in Urbana Illinois and his father taught at what is now the University of Illinois at Champagn-Urbana. He himself taught at the Chicago Art Institute and many of his sculptures are located in the greater Chicago area.
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