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James E. Kelly (artist)
Encyclopedia
James Edward Kelly was an American
sculptor and illustrator
who specialized in depicting people and events of American wars, particularly the American Civil War
.
Kelly was born in New York City
. He was a boy of six years old when the Civil War started. Perhaps because of that he early developed a lifelong interest in American history, particularly in the Civil War and in the generals who fought it. His intense studies into history allowed Kelly to bring to his work a degree of detail that makes his drawings and statues noteworthy.
When he was commissioned to execute the five panels that make up a large part of the Battle of Monmouth
monument he had a difficult time finding models who did not have mustaches or beards—they being worn by most men of that era—so he prevailed upon a friend of his from nearby Menlo Park, New Jersey, to pose for him. Because of that, a 30-year-old Thomas Alva Edison's portrait can be found on the monument.
His public memorial sculptures include:
Kelly was also known for his extremely detailed and accurate engravings on historical subjects, often commissioned by magazines. His work has recently been highlighted by the book Generals in Bronze by William Styple, in which Kelly's sometimes-provocative interviews with generals as he sculpted them were compiled and published for the first time in 2005.
Kelly died in New York City and is buried in an unmarked grave in Saint Raymond's Cemetery
.
On October 1, 2006, a black granite monument with Kelly's image carved into it and the words, "A Sculptor of American History" was placed over the artist's previously unmarked grave. Funds for the monument were raised by William B. Styple, editor of Generals in Bronze (2005), a collection of interviews the artist conducted with generals and other Civil War soldiers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sculptor and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
who specialized in depicting people and events of American wars, particularly the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Kelly was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was a boy of six years old when the Civil War started. Perhaps because of that he early developed a lifelong interest in American history, particularly in the Civil War and in the generals who fought it. His intense studies into history allowed Kelly to bring to his work a degree of detail that makes his drawings and statues noteworthy.
When he was commissioned to execute the five panels that make up a large part of the Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
monument he had a difficult time finding models who did not have mustaches or beards—they being worn by most men of that era—so he prevailed upon a friend of his from nearby Menlo Park, New Jersey, to pose for him. Because of that, a 30-year-old Thomas Alva Edison's portrait can be found on the monument.
His public memorial sculptures include:
- Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Troy, New YorkTroy, New YorkTroy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, 1890 - Monmouth Battle Monument, Monmouth, New JerseyFreehold Borough, New JerseyFreehold is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,052. It is the county seat of Monmouth County....
, 1884 - Civil War Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Yonkers, New YorkYonkers, New YorkYonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, 1891 - General John BufordJohn BufordJohn Buford, Jr. was a Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War, with a prominent role at the start of the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early years:...
Memorial, Gettysburg, PennsylvaniaGettysburg, PennsylvaniaGettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
, 1895 - General Fitz-John Porter, Haven Park, Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, 1904 - Major General James J. WilsonJames J. WilsonJames Jefferson Wilson served New Jersey as a U.S. Senator from 1815 to 1821.-Biography:Wilson was born in Essex County, New Jersey, where he attended the common schools...
, United States Military AcademyUnited States Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, West Point, New YorkWest Point, New YorkWest Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, 1909 - Memorial to the Defendants of New Haven, New Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, 1911 - Caesar RodneyCaesar RodneyCaesar Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from St. Jones Neck in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, east of Dover...
Equestrian Statue, Rodney SquareRodney SquareRodney Square is the public square in downtown Wilmington, Delaware named after American Revolutionary leader Caesar Rodney. A large statue of Rodney by James E. Kelly stands in the front of the square. The square was created in the early 20th century by John Jacob Raskob who worked for Pierre S....
, Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, DelawareWilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, 1922 - Commander Edward M. HughesEdward Merritt HughesEdward Merritt Hughes was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War.-Life and career:...
, United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, MarylandAnnapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, - General George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
at Valley ForgeValley ForgeValley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
, Federal Hall, New York City - General Horatio G. Wright. Arlington National CemeteryArlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, Arlington, Virginia - Bust of General Oliver Otis Howard, Howard UniversityHoward UniversityHoward University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Kelly was also known for his extremely detailed and accurate engravings on historical subjects, often commissioned by magazines. His work has recently been highlighted by the book Generals in Bronze by William Styple, in which Kelly's sometimes-provocative interviews with generals as he sculpted them were compiled and published for the first time in 2005.
Kelly died in New York City and is buried in an unmarked grave in Saint Raymond's Cemetery
Saint Raymond's Cemetery, Bronx
Saint Raymond's Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 2600 Lafayette Avenue in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx, New York City. The cemetery is composed of two separate locations: the older section , located west of the Hutchinson River Parkway; and the newer section , which is east of...
.
On October 1, 2006, a black granite monument with Kelly's image carved into it and the words, "A Sculptor of American History" was placed over the artist's previously unmarked grave. Funds for the monument were raised by William B. Styple, editor of Generals in Bronze (2005), a collection of interviews the artist conducted with generals and other Civil War soldiers.