The only replica of the original Statue of Liberty sculpture in America has been acquired by Leonard Stern and will be unveiled by French Ambassador Francois Delattre and Commissioner Marjorie B. Tiven of the NYC Mayor’s Office on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011, in a public plaza at 667 Madison Avenue, where it will be permanently displayed.
For more than 100 years the original Statue of Liberty plaster sculpture by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi resided in a small French museum and could not be reproduced for fear that it would be damaged in the process. New digital imaging technology recently made it possible to cast the original plaster model in bronze by the same foundry and using the same lost wax method as the 151-foot Statue in New York Harbor.
The Statue of Liberty is celebrating its 125th anniversary, but will be closed for repairs for one year beginning this November. The 667 Madison Statue will be lighted 24 hours and provides a spectacular opportunity to see the ornate details of the original from a close-in perspective impossible to achieve from Liberty Island.
The unveiling holds personal significance to the Stern family, as Leonard recalls his father Max telling him of his thought when he first entered New York Harbor, looking at Lady Liberty from the bow of the Hamburg American Line ship on which he emigrated: “Now I am going to be free to achieve as much as I am able.”
667 Madison Avenue, widely regarded as the top boutique office building in Manhattan, already is home to several important works of art, including a 17th Century Gobelin tapestry and three suits of armor form the 16th century. A history of the Statue called “Liberty Enlightening the World” was published to support the replication program and is available to media as a pdf upon request.
The Statue will include a plaque that reads:
STATUE OF LIBERTY
Frederic – Auguste Bartholdi 1834-1904
This statue, cast in bronze from the from the original plaster sculpture, was enlarged 16 times by the artist to create The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, perhaps the most recognized symbol of freedom in the world.
It was presented as a gift to the American people and paid for by the citizens of France. The statue celebrates the core values of both countries: freedom, democratic government and the equality of man.
It also celebrates the bonds of friendship between our two countries and the vital financial and military assistance that France gave our Revolutionary Army commanded by George Washington during our young nation’s hour of greatest need.
Ambassador Francois Delattre
François Delattre was appointed Ambassador of France to the United States in February 2011 after serving as Ambassador of France to Canada (2008-2011), Consul General in New York (2004-2008) and Press and Communications Director at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. (1998-2002). A member of President Jacques Chirac’s foreign policy team (1995-1998), François Delattre was responsible for European and trans-Atlantic defense and security matters and managing the Bosnian crisis. He also served as Deputy Director of the French Foreign Minister’s Office (2002-2004) and was a member of Foreign Minister Alain Juppé’s cabinet (1993-1995), following two years with the Strategic, Security and Disarmament Department of the French Foreign Ministry (1991-1993). François Delattre was posted in Bonn at the French Embassy in Germany (1989-1991), where he was in charge of matters pertaining to the economic impact of Germany’s unification and the environment.
Commissioner Marjorie B. Tiven has served as Commissioner of the New York City Commission for the United Nations, Consular Corps and Protocol (UNCCP) since February 2002. Part of the Mayor’s Office, UNCCP is the liaison between City government and the diplomatic community including relations with the U.S. State Department, the United Nations, 193 Permanent Missions to the United Nations and 113 Consulates. As Commissioner, she negotiates for the City on substantial issues with foreign governments, the United Nations, and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in order to reconcile national and local perspectives. She supervises the Commission’s Division of International Business which helps foreign companies interested in operating in New York City. As Chief of Protocol, she is the official liaison with foreign governments for courtesy visits with the Mayor. As Commissioner, she is a board member and Treasurer of NYC Global Partners, Inc., the Mayor’s office organization that interacts with global cities around the world, and of the United Nations Development Corporation. She also serves as the Mayor’s official representative on the New York Public Library Board of Trustees. A graduate of Antioch College and Columbia University School of Social Work, she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Leonard N. Stern
Founder, Chairman and CEO of The Hartz Group, Leonard Stern operates one of the most respected private companies in America. Hartz evolved from the famed Hartz Mountain Pet Products Company, founded by Mr. Stern’s late father Max, who immigrated to the United States in 1926. Mr. Stern, who continues to oversee the extensive Hartz enterprise with the assistance of sons Emanuel and Edward, brought the company into publishing and other industries and most recently diversified its real estate portfolio to include luxury rental apartment buildings. Hartz has built and currently owns more than 38 million square feet of residential, office, industrial, hotel and retail properties in over 200 buildings, including major developments on the New Jersey’ Hudson River waterfront, in the New Jersey Meadowlands, and Manhattan. Mr. Stern earned B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from New York University, and served as an NYU trustee from 1976 – 1996. He currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Real Estate Board of New York. He is the founder (1986) and Chairman of Homes for the Homeless, America’s largest non-profit provider of emergency housing for homeless families.
