Lectures celebrate 50th anniversary of Russell sculpture in Statuary Hall
Published: March 2, 2009
for the Montana Historical Society in the late 1950s.
(Photo courtesy of the Montana Historical Society
Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena)
Montana native John (Jack) Weaver will be in Montana March 19-20 for the 50th anniversary of the installation of his monumental sculpture of Charles M. Russell in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall.
Each state is allowed two statues to represent them in the hall, and Weaver’s piece was the first of Montana's two sculptures, installed in 1959 (Jeannette Rankin's statue by Terry Minmaugh followed in 1985), and is the hall's only representation of an artist.
Weaver, who also created dioramas for the then-new Montana Historical Society in the 1950s, had a long career as a nationally known sculptor. Now 88, the artist inspired his Montana-born son, Henry, to follow in his footsteps, making him the fourth generation of artists in the Weaver family.
To commemorate the installation of the C.M. Russell scupture on its 50th anniversary, Jack and Henry will to travel to Montana from their home in Hope, B.C., for two presentations on the story of the C.M. Russell statue competition, the creation of the artwork, and its meaning and significance to the people of Montana, the nation, and their family. The first presentation is at 1 p.m. March 19 at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls during the C.M. Russell Art Auction; and the second program takes place at 7 p.m. that evening at the Montana Historical Society in Helena.
Call 406-444-2694 for details or visit montanahistoricalsociety.org.
