>>> DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH WAS CONSIDERED THE "GREATEST
MONUMENT SCULPTOR IN POST-CIVIL WAR AMERICA."
HIS WORK LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE COUNTRY,
MOST NOTABLY THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
MANY OF FRENCH'S WORKS WERE CREATED IN THE BERKSHIRES AT HIS
COUNTRY RETREAT, CHESTERWOOD, WHICH IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC
LANDMARK - AND CONNECTING POINT'S MARLA ZIPPAY VISITED
THERE RECENTLY TO LEARN MORE FROM ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
DONNA HASSLER, AND HAROLD HOLZER, AUTHOR OF THE
FORTHCOMING BOOK "MONUMENT MAN: THE LIFE & ART OF DANIEL CHESTER
FRENCH."
>> CHESTERWOOD IS THE FORMER HOME, STUDIO AND GARDENS OF
DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH.
FRENCH IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT AMERICAN PUBLIC
SCULPTORS IN THE UNITED STATES, HE LIVED FROM 1850 TO 1931.
AND HE SPENT OVER 30 SUMMERS HERE AT CHESTERWOOD.
>> Reporter: HE FOUND THE BERKSHIRES BECAUSE HE WAS HERE
VISITING SOME FRIENDS WHO WERE ALSO ARTISTS WHEN HIS WIFE CAME
INTO THE TOWN OF STOCKBRIDGE.
SHE TURNED TO HER HUSBAND AND SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
GOING TO LIVE, BUT I'M GOING TO LIVE IN STOCKBRIDGE.
>> SEE WAS THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY DETERMINED THE PLACE THEY WOULD
HAVE THEIR COUNTRY RETREAT.
FRENCH PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY, KNOWN AS THE WARNER FARM, IN
1896, AND STARTED TO DEVELOP AND CREATE HIS ARTIST RETREAT
HERE IN THE BERKSHIRES.
>> DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH WAS A TEENAGER IN CONCORD,
MASSACHUSETTS, AND HIS FATHER WAS A PROFESSIONAL MAN, SENT HIM
TO MIT, WHERE HE PROMPTLY FLUNKED OUT, ALL THE WHILE HE
WAS DEVELOPING AN INTEREST IN SCULPTING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HARD TO TRACE THE MOMENT WHEN THAT
TALENT AND THAT PASSION CONVERGED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A SNOW SCULPTURE AND A NEW ENGLAND
FORM OR A MOUND OF CLAY HE SUCCESSFULLY MODELS INTO AN
ANIMAL FIGURE AND LEFT ON HIS FATHER'S DINNER PLATE TO
FRIGHTEN HIM.
WHATEVER IT WAS, HIS FATHER MADE SURE SHE HAD AN ART EDUCATION.
AT A VERY YOUNG ABLE, HE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO, A, WE GET A
HUGELY IMPORTANT COMMISSION FOR THE MINUTEMAN IN CONCORD,
MASSACHUSETTS, AND ALSO TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY IN
FLORENCE.
AND THE STATUE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS, OUT OF
THIS EXTRAORDINARY FIRST COMMISSION, HIS NAME WAS MADE.
>> I THINK FRENCH'S MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION IS ALWAYS
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
NOT ONLY WAS IT THE LARGEST AND THE MOSCOW LOSSAL TRIUMPH OF ANY
SCULPTURE IN AMERICA, IT BECAME OVER THE DECADES A SCENE OF
ASPIRATION.
AND MEMORY.
AND OF COURSE, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR, CONSECRATED IT FOR
ALL TIME WITH THE I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH IN WHICH HE SPOKE ABOUT
THE MONUMENT, ABOUT LINCOLN AND THE EMANCIPATION.
THE LINCOLN REMAINS A SYMBOL OF AMERICAN HOPES AND DREAMS.
ALWAYS ASPIRATIONAL, NOT QUITE MET, SO HE IS THE SYMBOL OF AN
AMERICA THAT STILL YE ARNS TO BE A MORE PERFECT UNION.
>> HIS AESTHETIC WAS ALL ABOUT CREATING BEAUTY, IN HIS WORK AS
WELL AS IN HIS SURROUNDINGS.
>> HIS DAUGHTER, MARGARET FRENCH CROSSAN, CREW UP HERE, AND SHE
WATCHED HER FATHER MODEL IN THE STUDIO REMINISCES ABOUT WALKING
IN THE GROUND WITH HER FATHER, LEARNING ABOUT NATURE AND
DEVELOPING A TRUE LOVE OF CHESTERWOOD.
SHE DECIDED THAT SHE WANTED TO PRESERVE CHESTERWOOD FOR THE
COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND THE PUBLIC TO VISIT, TO LEARN ABOUT
HER FATHER'S LEGACY, HIS IMPORTANT WORK OF AMERICAN
SCULPTURE, AND EVENTUALLY, SHE TRANSFERRED THE PROPERTY TO THE
NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN 1968.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE HOUSES LIKE THIS TO UNDERSTAND,
ESPECIALLY AN ARTIST'S HOME AND STUDIO, THE NATURE OF THE
CREATIVE PROCESS.
I THINK YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING COMING TO
CHESTERWOOD ABOUT THE ARTIST, HIS INSPIRATION, AND WHAT HIS
LIFE WAS LIKE DURING A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE, TAKE SOME TIME TO RELAX, ENJOY THE
BEAUTIFUL.OF MONUMENT MOUNTAIN, SIT ON THE STUDIO PIAZZA, AND
TAKE A MOMENT FOR YOURSELF.