General Ulysses S. Grant Monument, for West Point
Paula, We continue to get fantastic comments about the statue of Ulysses S. Grant you created for West Point. It is in one of the most prominent locations on "The Plain". We have many visitors and tours and people always stop to spend time at the Grant Monument. We continue to be grateful for the wonderful job you did sculpting it. It will continue to inspire the cadets and all who see it here at West Point long after we have passed on.~ Robert A. McDonald
Contributor who funded the Grant Monument
Former U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs
The Bronze Portrait of General Grant you sculpted is magnificent!
It is the best money I've ever spent!!~ Robert A. McDonald
Contributor who funded the Grant Monument
Former U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs
Dear Paula, On behalf of the West Point
Association of Graduates, I wanted to thank you for all your hard work in making Grant come to life at West Point. I had such a tremendous time seeing the patina process, getting to tour the foundry, and meeting you and Chris while I was in California. Thank you for speaking with our West Point Magazine team about the Grant Statue for the Summer 2019 cover story. We are grateful for your time, and I know our graduates will have considerable interest in reading about this topic! We are proud of this issue, and I have enclosed a copy for you and Chris. I hope you enjoy reading it and thank you again.~ Patrick O. Ortland
Chief Operating Officer
West Point Class of 1982
Paula, Thank you for sending the images of the patination of the Grant statue. The color of the patina looks fantastic and will fit nicely with the monumental artworks on the level of the Plain at West Point.~ David M. Reel
CIV USARMY CMH
Good Morning Paula, Wow! This is a magnificent portrayal of Grant and like your other sculptures, you have the creativity and skill to make the person live while reflecting their persona. Congratulations on this wonderful creation!~ William Anderson
Former Doctoral Student at West Point Academy/Ulysses S. Grant Scholar, Lincoln Bicentennial Chair, Former Director of Michigan Dept. of History, Arts & Libraries,
"Paula, Please go ahead and finalize the design and ship the model. It looks wonderful!
Thank you and kind regards,"
~ Darwin Haines
COO, West Point Association of Graduates
Creation of the General Ulysses S. Grant Monument for West Point Academy
Grant Statue Unveiling Ceremony - 30 Second Spot
General Grant Monument Installation and Dedication at West Point
Paula Slater was awarded a commission to sculpt the General Ulysses S. Grant Monument for the United States Academy at West Point. The finely detailed full-figure bronze portrait of General Grant is 7-1/2ft high and is installed upon an elegant 4-1/2ft high solid granite base. Slater worked closely with the West Point Museum Curators to assure historical accuracy of the portrait and all uniform accoutrements.
The General Grant portrait is portrayed in a four star General uniform of the Union Army during the Civil War. Grant worked under President Lincoln to put an end to slavery in America. Grant was later elected the 18th President of the United States.
A 16 inch high small clay model was first sculpted by Slater for approval by West Point before sculpting the full size portrait. The small model has been molded and cast in a bronze limited edition.
A wonderful Cover Story article was published in ‘The American Scholar’, a prestigious magazine first published in 1932. Slater’s photograph of her General Grant Portrait Statue is on the cover of the September 1st, Autumn 2019 edition. This is the link https://theamericanscholar.org/moral-courage-and-the-civil-war/#.XW-MptHsaUk
Also, there is a wonderful article about General Grant and the West Point Grant Monument at the following link, http://grantstomb.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Grant-issue-29-Fall-Winter-2019-FINAL.pdf
