MORRISON HECKSCHER: In the Milmore Memorial by Daniel Chester French, a youthful sculptor carves the relief of a sphinx. But a winged angel of death reaches out to halt his hand. This hand gesture epitomizes the essence of this large marble sculpture. Death comes gently, to lead the young man to eternal sleep, which is symbolized by the poppies held in the angel’s right hand.

The Milmore family from Boston commissioned the memorial to honor their two deceased sons, Martin and Joseph. Both were artists, and among their accomplishments was in fact a sculpture of a sphinx. But French was also drawn to the mystery surrounding this ancient symbol.

Here, French’s combination of ideal and naturalistic elements is masterful. The energetic figure of the sculptor represents ideal youth. But to realistically model the angel’s massive wings, French had an ornithologist friend send him actual specimens of bird wings.

The original bronze monument was erected in 1893 in the family plot in Massachusetts. This replica was carved for the Metropolitan in the early 1920s. The memorial was a landmark in funerary sculpture, and it received great praise. Indeed, many Americans actually had photographs of this monument hanging in their homes.