Minnesota State Capitol
Additional Background
The Quadriga
One of most enduring images of the Minnesota State Capitol and one that has come to symbolize St. Paul is the "Quadriga," the golden horses and chariot that sit atop the roof at the base of the Capitol's dome. The massive statue was the finishing touch to the building when it was installed in 1906.
The term quadriga refers to a chariot drawn by four horses. The actual name of the statue is "Progress of the State." It was created by sculptor Daniel Chester French, in collaboration with noted equestrian sculptor Edward C. Potter. It features four figures - the male figure driving the chariot represents the state, two female figures portray Minnesota agriculture and industry and the four horses represent earth, fire, water and wind. The inspiration for the statue was the charioteer and four horses that French had modeled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago.
French had estimated in 1896 that he could create the statue for $36,000, but action wasn't taken on it until Gilbert received a $1,500,000 appropriation for the decoration of the Capitol in 1903. The work is 21 feet wide at its base and 25 feet high. It was fabricated of hammered copper at the John Williams Foundry in New York in 1906. After its installation on the Capitol roof, it was gilded in 24-carat gold by the St. Paul firm of Bazille & Partridge.
While hundreds of sculptures and monuments were placed in city parks, on and around government buildings, in the city beautification period from 1890 to 1930, the "Quadriga" is one of less than 20 gilded monuments from the era. It was regilded in place in 1949, but in August 1994, the statue was removed for extensive repairs and restoration. Time and the elements had eroded the interior supports and caused visible cracks and split seams. Much of the gold leaf had flaked off or become pitted. Using historical documents and samples of the original materials, conservationists were able to recreate the original appearance of the sculpture as well as restore its structural integrity. The "Quadriga" was returned the next year to its place of prominence atop the Capitol roof with much fanfare on June 21. It was one of the largest renovation projects ever undertaken at the Capitol.
Every year, thousands of visitors tour the State Capitol. The work of the government as well as the Capitol's architecture, art and historic collections are presented, but the one thing that just about everyone - from school children to senior citizens - wants to see is "the golden horses." Sculptor French, who complained at the time that he hadn't been paid enough, and State Capitol Commissioner Channing Seabury, who complained that the "bright gold of the [statue] stands out there so prominently...it makes the rest of the building look horrible," would be proud that this crowning achievement still delights and inspires visitors a century later.
