Shannon Stirnweis (B. 1931) "Statue of Liberty" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the 22c Frederic Auguste Bartholdi stamp issued July 18, 1985. "On the threshold of this continent, full of new life, where all the ships of the universe arrive, she will rise from the bosom of the waves . . ." This poignant reference to the Statue of Liberty is from the first public prospectus published in 1875, when work on the statue began. Designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, Lady Liberty was a gift from France to the United States, a token of friendship between the two nations. The statue's design incorporates several symbolic elements -- a broken chain at her feet represents freedom from tyranny, tablets held in her left arm are inscribed with the date of America's independence, the points on her crown represent the seven seas and the seven continents and, in her right hand, a torch is held high as a beacon of freedom and democracy. Construction of the statue took place in the workshop of Gaget, Gauthier and Company on Chazelle Street in Paris. Although work on smaller scale models began in the studio, the project was eventually assembled outside the workshop. A colossal monument, the statue contained about 100 tons of copper, while the steel skeleton weighed more than 125 tons. On July 4, 1884, the Statue of Liberty was presented to the United States in an official ceremony in Paris. Levi P. Morton, American Minister to France, was in attendance. Image Size: 17.5 x 15 in. Overall Size: 21.75 x 18.75 in. Unframed. (B09534)