Historic Highlights: Crunelle was foremost Illinois sculptor

Throughout its history, Illinois has been criticized for a perceived lack of arts and culture. However, the state has produced a surprising number of acclaimed artists, writers and musicians.

Among the foremost artisans of the state is Leonard Crunelle, whose sculptures are found in parks, museums and centers of government across the nation.

Crunelle certainly came from humble beginnings. Born in Pas de Calais, France, on July 8, 1872, Crunelle was 10 years old when his family immigrated to the U.S., first settling in Brazil, Indiana. The family then moved to Pana, where young Leonard worked in the local coal mines.

In 1889, the family moved on to Decatur, where Leonard continued in the mines. However, his artistry was evident. After a hard day’s work at the mine, he spent evenings drawing on, as one account states, “crude paper.”

Several Decatur women took notice of his skills. One was Sarah Waughhop, who encouraged him to enroll in lessons by Laura Johns, a local artist and art teacher. Inspired, Crunelle began to focus on sculpting, using clay from the mines as his medium.

At age 19, he received a gift that helped shape his life. Elmira Stoner, the wife of a Decatur physician, gave Crunelle a ticket to a local demonstration in clay modeling by Lorado Taft, widely considered the greatest sculptor in Illinois history.

Born in Elmwood, near Peoria in 1860, Taft opened a studio in Chicago in 1893 and won international acclaim for his work. Among Taft’s most famous creations is The Eternal Indian, a striking 50-foot statue of Black Hawk overlooking the Rock River near Oregon, in Ogle County.

In 1898, Taft founded the Eagle’s Nest Art Colony, a summer retreat near Oregon for Chicago artists that operated until 1942. His History of American Sculpture, published in 1903, was a standard work on the topic for years afterward.

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After the demonstration, Crunelle was introduced to Taft, who was quickly impressed. He invited Crunelle to assist him with sculptures at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, a move that began a longtime association between the two artists.

Crunelle moved to Chicago that same year and found whatever work he could secure in the daytime. At night, he attended the Art Institute of Chicago where he studied under Taft, an instructor at the school. Crunelle eventually flourished in his own right, and earned a place among the top sculptors in the state.

Among his specialties were children’s sculptures, frequently using his five children as models. His best-known works, however, capture historical figures ranging from the American Revolution to the 20th century.

Two noteworthy examples are statues of Abraham Lincoln, including Lincoln the Debater, which was erected in August 1929 in Freeport, the site of the second Lincoln-Douglas debate. Another, Captain Lincoln and the Black Hawk War, was dedicated in August 1930 in Dixon.

Other Crunelle works include a statue of Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, erected in March 1917 at Vicksburg National Military Park.

One of Crunelle’s most striking creations is a statue of John M. Palmer, a Civil War major general, Illinois governor, and U.S. Senator, which stands on the grounds of the current Illinois statehouse. The Palmer statue was dedicated in October 1923.

Another Illinois chief executive, Richard Oglesby, was depicted by Crunelle in a statue that graces Lincoln Park in Chicago. An appropriation of $25,000 from the Illinois General Assembly funded the Oglesby statue, which was dedicated in 1919.

Among Crunelle’s other works is the Civil War Monument in the Jacksonville Square. The bronze and granite creation was dedicated in 1920.

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Elsewhere in Chicago, there is the Victory Monument, a Crunelle design that honors African-American soldiers from the Illinois National Guard in World War I. Erected in 1927, the monument stands in the fabled Bronzeville district. A bas-relief of Crunelle adorns the massive bronze doors at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Among Crunelle’s most acclaimed statues is one depicting Sacagawea, the legendary American Indian guide on the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Sacagawea piece stands on the statehouse grounds in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Other Crunelle designs include a statue of Revolutionary War Gen. Artemas Ward in Washington, D.C., as well as a statue of William Worrall Mayo, the father of the founders of the Mayo Clinic, on the clinic campus in Rochester, Minnesota.

There is also an impressive bust of longtime Decatur teacher and principal Enoch Gastman that greets visitors in the reading room of the Macon County Historical Museum. Crunelle died in Chicago on Sept. 10, 1944.

• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.