Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (; 2 August 1834 – 4 October 1904) was a French sculptor who is best known for designing "Liberty Enlightening the World", commonly known as the Statue of Liberty. Bartholdi was born in Colmar, France, 2 August 1834. He was born to a family of German Protestant (Alsatian) and Italian heritage, with his family name Romanticized from Barthold. Jean Charles Bartholdi (1791–1836) and Augusta Charlotte Bartholdi ( Beysser; 1801–1891), Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was the youngest of their four children, and one of only two to survive infancy, along with the oldest brother, Jean-Charles, who
Columbus (Providence, Rhode Island) the skill of its foundry and commissioned Bartholdi to create a statue of Columbus. The completed model was shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to be cast from 30,000 ounces of silver at Providence, Rhode Island. The casting was a ceremonial affair, where guests "were feted as they watched the process". Gorham officials accompanied and shipped the statue to Chicago via rail. It served as a demonstration piece at the exposition, showcasing the skill of its foundry in the technically difficult task of casting a work in sterling silver. After the exposition, the statue was returned to Providence where it was