Borglum, Solon Hannibal, 1868-1922

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Sculptor.

From the description of Solon Hannibal Borglum papers, 1886-1969 (bulk 1900-1922). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71062019

Solon H. Borglum (1868-1922) was a sculptor from Wilton, Conn.

Brother of Gutzon Borglum, carver of presidential busts on Mt. Rushmore. Solon was married to Emma Vignal. Monica Borglum Davies, Borglum's daughter, collaborated with her husband, Alfred, on a biography of Solon, published in 1974. Monica did most of the research and drafts; Alfred completed the final version.

From the description of Solon H. Borglum and Borglum family papers, 1864-2002. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 220236275

Biographical Note

  • 1868, Dec. 22: Born, Ogden, Utah
  • 1885 - 1893 : Managed ranch on his father's land in Nebraska
  • circa 1893 - circa 1895 : Studied under his brother Gutzon Borglum in California
  • 1895 - 1897 : Studied under Louis Rebisso, Cincinnati Art School, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • 1897: Won scholarship to study in France
  • 1898: Studied under Emmanuel Fremiet, Académie Julian, Paris, France Married Emma Vignal (died 1934)
  • 1899: Visited Crow Creek Indian Reservation, South Dakota
  • 1900: Won silver and bronze medals, Paris Exposition, Paris, France
  • 1901: Won silver medal, Pan-American Exposition, World's Fair, Buffalo, N.Y.
  • 1904: Won gold medal, St. Louis Exposition, St. Louis, Mo.
  • 1906: Moved to Connecticut Founded school of arts in Silvermine community, New Canaan, Conn.
  • 1907: Founded with fellow artists the Silvermine Group of Artists (originally called the "Knockers")
  • 1918 - 1919 : Traveled to Europe with the Young Men's Christian Association Director, Les Foyers du Soldat, Union Franco-Américaine
  • 1919: Awarded Croix de Guerre for his work with the Les Foyers du Soldat, Union Franco-Américaine, during World War I Appointed head, Department of Sculpture, Educational Corps, American Expeditionary Forces Art Training Center, Bellevue, France
  • 1920: Founded School of American Sculpture, New York, N.Y.
  • 1922, Jan. 30: Died, Stamford, Conn.

From the guide to the Solon Hannibal Borglum Papers, 1886-1969, (bulk 1900-1922), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Solon Hannibal Borglum was born in Ogden, Utah in 1868. His father Jens (James) Borglum and wife Ida emigrated to America in 1864, as Mormon converts. James took a second wife Christina who was the mother of Solon and his older brother John Gutzon de la Mothe. Christina left the family after just a few years, when James left the Mormon Church. James and Ida raised the large family, which included Solon, Gutzon, Miller, Arnold, August, Anna, Harriet, Theodora and Frank. Solon spent most of his childhood in Fremont, Nebraska, and in 1893 he became a ranch hand in Southern California. At this time he also developed an interest in art which he shared with his brother Gutzon, who was studying painting in Los Angeles.

From 1885 to 1893 Solon ran a ranch on his father's land in central Nebraska, but also took painting lessons from artist J. Laurie Wallace. After spending a short time at his brother's studio in Sierra Madre, and living as an artist in Santa Ana, he studied at the Cincinnati Art Academy under Louis T. Rebisso from 1895 to 1897. Solon then went to Paris where he met sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens who persuaded him to study sculpture at the Academie Julian. He studied there under Denys Puech and won numerous awards for works exhibited both in France and the United States. In 1898 Solon married Emma Vignal in Paris. They spent four months at the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota, an experience that greatly influenced his work. In 1901 Solon was elected to the National Sculpture Society, later becoming its vice president, and set up a studio in New York. Despite his success, such as winning the gold medal at the Art Palace at the 1904 World's Fair, confusions began between him and his brother Gutzon who decided to also become a sculptor. In 1906 he moved with his wife and children, Paul and Monica, to a farm in Connecticut called "Rocky Ranch." Artist Paul Manship became his student helper and lived with the family. Solon received commissions to do many monuments and memorials, but also continued to exhibit his work and participate in the local Silvermine Group of Artists.

From 1916 to 1917 Solon taught at the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in New York and also developed ideas for an art textbook called Sound Construction, which he worked on with his student assistant Mildred Archer Nash. In 1918, he enlisted in the YMCA for overseas war work, attached to the Third and Fifth French Army. While there he was also the Director of Sculpture at the specially organized American Expeditionary Forces Art Training Center. When he returned home, he decided to establish the School of American Sculpture in New York City. He ran the school with great success, and gave many lectures on art and his experiences overseas until his sudden death after an appendectomy in January of 1922. His legacy was carried on by his wife Emma until her death in 1934, at which point his daughter Monica and her husband, A. Mervyn Davies, oversaw the exhibition of his artwork, and in 1974 published his biography Solon H. Borglum: "A Man Who Stands Alone" .

From the guide to the Solon H. Borglum and Borglum family papers, 1864-2002, (Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Malin, Millard F., 1891-. Papers, 1891-1968. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library
referencedIn Millard F. Malin papers, 1923-1968 J. Willard Marriott Library. University of Utah Manuscripts Division
creatorOf Solon H. Borglum and Borglum family papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Borglum, Solon Hannibal, 1868-1922. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
referencedIn Alphaeus P. Cole papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Borglum, Solon Hannibal, 1868-1922 : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
referencedIn Jessie Tarbox Beals Photograph Collection, [1900-1940] (Bulk 1904-1920) New-York Historical Society
referencedIn St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery (New York, N.Y.). General arts projects, 1922-1968. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
creatorOf Harriet Collins Allen papers relating to Solon Borglum Archives of American Art
creatorOf Solon Hannibal Borglum papers, 1886-1969 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Century Company records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Paul Manship papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Mallin, Millard F., 1891- . Papers, 1891-1968. Landmarks of Science Microform Service
creatorOf Borglum, Solon Hannibal, 1868-1922. Solon Hannibal Borglum : artist file : study photographs and reproductions of works of art with accompanying documentation 1930?-1990 [graphic] [compiled by staff of The Museum of Modern Art, New York]. Frick Art Reference Library of The Frick Collection
creatorOf Borglum, Solon Hannibal, 1868-1922. Solon Hannibal Borglum letters to F.E. Elwell, 1902. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
creatorOf Borglum, Solon Hannibal, 1868-1922. Solon Hannibal Borglum : artist file : study photographs and reproductions of works of art with accompanying documentation 1920-2000 [graphic]. Frick Art Reference Library
creatorOf Borglum, Solon Hannibal. [Solon Hannibal Borglum] : artist file John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library, Ringling Museum Library
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Oral history interview with Monica Borglum Davies Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Paul Manship Archives of American Art
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, Harriet Collins. person
associatedWith American Expeditionary Force School of Fine Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Borglum, Emma Vignal, 1866-1934. person
associatedWith Borglum, Gutzon, 1867-1941. person
correspondedWith Century Company corporateBody
associatedWith Cole, Alphaeus Philemon, 1876-1988. person
associatedWith Davies, A. Mervyn (Alfred Mervyn) person
associatedWith Davies, Monica Borglum, 1903- person
correspondedWith Dellenbaugh, Frederick Samuel, 1853-1935 person
correspondedWith Elwell, Frank Edwin, 1858-1922 person
associatedWith Fort Spokane Boarding School. corporateBody
associatedWith Frick Art Reference Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Les Foyers du Soldat. corporateBody
associatedWith Malin, Millard F., 1891- person
associatedWith Malin, Millard F., 1891-1974 person
associatedWith Mallin, Millard F., 1891- . person
associatedWith Manship, Paul, 1885-1966. person
associatedWith Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919 person
correspondedWith Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1848-1907 person
associatedWith School of American Sculpture. corporateBody
associatedWith Silvermine Group of Artists. corporateBody
associatedWith Solon Hannibal Borglum, person
associatedWith St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces. Art Training Center. corporateBody
correspondedWith Washington, Booker T., 1856-1915 person
correspondedWith Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Connecticut--Wilton
New York (State)--New York
Connecticut--New Canaan
United States
United States
Washington (State)
France
Subject
Art, American
Sculpture, American
Sculpture, American
Art
Art
Art
Art
Artist colonies
Artist colonies
Artists
Artists
Children's art
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Sculptors
Sculptors
Sculptors
Sculpture
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
Occupation
Sculptors
Activity

Person

Birth 1868-12-22

Death 1922-01-31

Americans

French,

English

Information

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