Despite the decision to reject a group's plans to install a 45-foot-tall sculpture of a nude woman on the National Mall, there's still plenty of artistic nudity downtown — if you know where to look.
The statue honoring Guglielmo Marconi, located in Mount Pleasant, is just one nude statue included in "Naked Washington." (WTOP/Mike Murillo)
The statue honoring Guglielmo Marconi, located in Mount Pleasant, is just one nude statue included in "Naked Washington." (WTOP/Mike Murillo)
WASHINGTON — Despite the National Park Service’s decision to reject a group’s plans to install a 45-foot-tall sculpture of a nude woman on National Mall, there’s still plenty of artistic nudity downtown — if you know where to look.
“Many of these are open to the public, you just walk by and there it is,” said Steve Schlich, who compiled information about local sculptures, fountains, and other artwork for the book “Naked Washington.”
Asked why so many statues in Washington, D.C. feature nude figures, Schlich says it goes with the design of the nation’s capital.
“The thing that strikes someone about Washington is how much classical art is there, from the Renaissance or Greek-based art, and the human body has always been an important subject, and these sculptures were trained to do what they do best,” said Schlich.
With the disappointment many are feeling that R-Evolution won’t be coming to the mall, we decided to revisit WTOP’s 2005 series, “Naked Washington.”
Look below for a tour of “Naked Washington.”
Baron von Steuben Memorial
Located across the street from the White House, in Lafayette Park, this 1910 bronze statue by Albert Jaegers includes a scene entitled “Military Instruction.” One soldier wears nothing but his helmet and sandals, the other carries only a sword, which doesn’t offer much protection, says Steve Schlich, author of “Naked Washington.”
(WTOP/Mike Murillo)
WTOP/Mike Murillo
Navy Yard Urns
From afar they seem harmless, but if you look up close, an orgy — the artistic kind — is going on across the street from the White House in Lafayette Park. An unknown sculptor’s bronze statue, created in 1892, credited only as: “Ordnance Department, U.S. Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.” features plenty of nudity and cavorting, according to Steve Schlich, author of “Naked Washington.
(WTOP/Mike Murillo)
WTOP/Mike Murillo
Union Station Soldiers
There are 46 Roman soldiers spread around the inside of Union Station — one for each state in the union when the building was dedicated in 1908. The granite statues, by Louis Saint-Gauden, depict each soldier wearing a helmet, cape and shields. But if you peek behind the shields, let’s just say there is no anatomical correctness.
(WTOP/Dave Dildine)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
The Court of Neptune
The Library of Congress plays host to full-frontal nudity, in the bronze and granite fountain by Roland Hinton Perry. Steve Schlich, author of “Naked Washington,” said when the 50-foot-wide fountain was unveiled in 1898, the shocked public insisted Perry add fig leaves to his work.
(WTOP/Neal Augenstein)
WTOP/Neal Augenstein
Guglielmo Marconi Memorial
At the corner of 16th and Lamont Streets NW in Mount Pleasant is the gilded bronze statue by Attilio Piccirilli in tribute to the man many credit as the inventor of radio. But Steve Schlick, author of “Naked Washington,” says the bust of Marconi is often overlooked, because “he is dwarfed by the allegorical goddess of global communication.”
(WTOP/Mike Murillo)
Neal Augenstein has been a general assignment reporter with WTOP since 1997. He says he looks forward to coming to work every day, even though that means waking up at 3:30 a.m.
