Sculpture Guide: Sacajawea

Sacajawea

By Harry Jackson
1980

Location: Cashman Greever Garden

This bronze portrays Sacagawea, the famed Shoshone woman who safely led Lewis and Clark across the Rocky Mountain wilderness during their trek to the Pacific Ocean from 1804 to 1806. Artist Harry Jackson created this sculpture as a tribute to courage, hoping it would be “as straight and simple as falling rock, and an everlasting honor to the souls of Sacajawea, the Shoshone, and all High Plains Indians.”

Jackson paints his sculptures rather than applying the more common bronze patina. By doing so, he can achieve, for instance, more movement in his works, like in this sculpture where the stripes on Sacajawea’s blanket give a more realistic look of folded cloth.

Harry Jackson (1924 – 2011). Sacajawea, 1980. Cast by Wyoming Foundry / Studios Camaiore Italy. Painted bronze, H 114 inches. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Cashman. 5.80