Designed by Frédéric Bartholdi in collaboration with the French engineer Gustave Eiffel (who was responsible for its frame) and dedicated on October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty is a large neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The statue was a gift to the United States from the people of France.
The project was a joint effort between the French and American peoples. The French would provide the statue while the Americans would provide the site and build the pedestal.
The Statue of Liberty’s design and construction were recognized at the time as one of the greatest technical achievements of the 19th century. It was hailed as a bridge between art and engineering. The exterior ‘envelope’ was composed of brass plaques, formed by hammering them in hardwood molds made from plaster models.
These plaques were then soldered and riveted together. After Bartholdi prefabricated the figure in Paris by molding sheets of copper over a steel framework, it was shipped to the United States in 241 crates in 1885. [Source]
The Statue of Liberty stands at a height of 151 feet 1 inch (46 meters). From ground to torch it is 305 feet 1 inch (93 meters) tall. It is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The images are part of the New York Public Library’s Photography Collection.