Augustus Saint-Gaudens (March 1, 1848 – August 3, 1907) was one of the most prominent American sculptors of the Gilded Age and the Beaux-Arts movement.Queer Places:
Cooper Union, 30 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, 139 Saint Gaudens Road, Cornish, NH 03745, United States
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (March 1, 1848 – August 3, 1907) was one of the most prominent American sculptors of the Gilded Age and the Beaux-Arts movement.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, to a French father and an Irish mother, his family immigrated to New York City when he was an infant.
At age 13, Saint-Gaudens began training as a cameo cutter while taking night classes at Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design. He later traveled to Europe to formally study sculpture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and spent several years working in Rome.
Upon returning to the United States, Saint-Gaudens rose to international acclaim for his public monuments and heroic statues. Some of his most celebrated masterworks include: The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial (Boston Common), The General William Tecumseh Sherman Monument (Central Park, NYC), The Diana Statue (originally atop Madison Square Garden), The 1907 "Double Eagle" $20 Gold Piece for the U.S. Mint.
Later in life, he established an artists' colony in Cornish, New Hampshire, where prominent painters, sculptors, and writers gathered to create and collaborate.
During the late 19th century, Boston and New York hosted vibrant aesthetic and artistic circles where queer subcultures flourished among writers, architects, and visual artists.
Founded in 1884, The Tavern Club served as a premier bohemian social and dining venue for artists, writers, and Boston's high society. Originally located at 74 Boylston Street (and later moving to Boylston Place), the club provided an exclusive homosocial space dedicated to conversation, theatricals, and music.
The club’s membership rolls and inner circle featured several prominent gay and bisexual men of the Gilded Age, including painter John Singer Sargent, novelist Henry James, philosopher George Santayana, architect Bertram Goodhue, art collector W. Sturgis Bigelow, painter Dennis Miller Bunker, and violinist Timothee Adamowski, who regularly performed for the members.
While Saint-Gaudens married Augusta Homer and maintained a long-term mistress (Davida Johnson Clarke), his professional and personal life was deeply intertwined with these queer artistic networks. He maintained lifelong creative partnerships and deep bonds with figures like John Singer Sargent and architect Stanford White.
References:
 The Hub of the Gay Universe: An LGBTQ History of Boston, Provincetown, and Beyond Paperback – April 1, 2019 by Russ López |
Other references:
Support this project
This website is a passion project researched, developed, and funded entirely by me. If you find the content valuable and would like to help support the ongoing research and hosting costs, any contribution is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for keeping this independent resource alive!
My books on Amazon: Elisa Rolle's books