Events

FDR MEMORIAL ARTWORK CLEANING AND RESTORATION

In a first for our organization, we financed the recent cleaning and restoration of three art pieces at the Memorial – the presidential seal from 1933, FDR’s first inaugural; the FDR wheelchair statue and the Eleanor Roosevelt text panel. 

We hired fine art object conservator Russell Bernabo for the job. He cleaned and stabilized the patina—the colored surface of a bronze sculpture that is part of the artists’ visions. Robert Graham sculpted the wheelchair statue and designed the text panel featuring Eleanor’s quote on FDR’s disability. Tom Hardy sculpted the presidential seal. Bernabo performed the work in April and May. 

The Foundation’s financing of these works represent a new step for the Foundation – helping the National Park Service on needed fixes. As you may have seen in our Instagram posts on this cleaning and restoration project, these art pieces have been in need of attention for some time.  We offered to help get the work done, reflecting the historic public-private cooperation that has built and maintained America’s national parks and memorials. We aim to dedicate additional resources in the future to support the Memorial’s upkeep and fund maintenance and preservation work. 

The FDR wheelchair statue after cleaning.

The Presidential Seal after cleaning.