Bald Eagle Bronze Sculpture by Lorenzo E. Ghiglieri, Limited Edition #14/35, 1976

Presented is a bronze sculpture of a bald eagle by American artist Lorenzo E. Ghiglieri. This is a limited edition sculpture, with only 35 castings in the edition. The bald eagle is depicted catching a fish, while a small rodent hides from sight under the reeds. 

Lorenzo Ghiglieri (1931-2020) had a very long artistic career. Beginning as a teenager, Ghiglieri spent much of his life as an illustrator. During the Korean War and shortly afterwards, the U.S. commissioned work from Ghiglieri as a combat illustrator. He then continued on to advertisement illustration. After an exploration west, Ghiglieri dedicated the rest of his career to sculpting the American West. Known for his bald eagles, elk, and other wildlife bronzes, Lorenzo set out to capture natural beauty. His works have been gifted to some of the world’s most influential figures including England’s Queen Elizabeth II, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and Luciano Pavarotti, just to name a few.

The bald eagle is both the national bird and the national animal of the United States. The eagle motif has been widely used throughout our nation's history, most notably as part of our Great Seal. The founders of the United States were fond of comparing their new republic with the Roman Republic, in which eagle imagery, usually the golden eagle, was prominent. On June 20, 1782, the Continental Congress adopted the design for the Great Seal of the United States depicting a bald eagle grasping 13 arrows and an olive branch with its talons. Ghilieri’s statue is inspired by the symbolic history of the bald eagle, combining the powerful natural beauty of the bird with the patriotic symbol of freedom and strength.

CONDITION:

The bronze is inscribed by the artist, dated 1976, and numbered 14/35, in the bronze at the base. The foundry mark for this sculpture is from Maiden Foundry, Oregon. Dimensions: 21"H x 15" W.