Michael Hall (b. 1975, American)
When In the Course of Human Events
Bronze, 32 × 32 × 35 in.
In this monumental bronze, Michael Hall depicts Thomas Jefferson not as the stately author of a nation’s founding text, but as a mortal man—barefoot, sleeves rolled, shirt unbuttoned—deep in the throes of creative labor. Set in the sweltering summer of 1776 Philadelphia, Jefferson is surrounded by towering volumes of Enlightenment philosophy, classical learning, and revolutionary ideals.
Above him rests the Jefferson Bible, symbolizing the weight of conscience and conviction. The composition evokes not just the inspiration but the immense personal and moral burden of authoring words that would shake empires:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
Hall reminds us that the pursuit of liberty begins in moments of solitude, struggle, and reflection—and that great ideas are often forged in the quiet, imperfect humanity of their creators.
