Avard Fairbanks (American, 1897–1987)
Washington’s Courier, 1974
Bronze, 30¼ × 29 × 21½ in.
Edition 36 of 50
In this dynamic bronze sculpture, General George Washington commands a mounted courier during a critical moment in the American Revolutionary War. With his horse rearing and arm extended, Washington entrusts the young rider with a vital mission, symbolized by the inscription on the base:
“In your hands, young man, is the fate of our country and the destiny of liberty.”
Though the rider’s identity is unknown, he represents every citizen called to act in defense of freedom. Fairbanks captures the urgency of wartime leadership and the timeless responsibility of individuals to uphold liberty.
A prolific sculptor of patriotic subjects, Avard Tennyson Fairbanks studied in New York and Paris and completed over 100 monuments and public commissions. His works appear in the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian, and civic spaces across the nation.
