Statue of James S. T. Stranahan

James S. T. Stranahan was an alderman and parks commissioner from Brooklyn who championed the creation of Prospect Park, which was completed in 1873 during his tenure as commissioner. The idea of erecting a statue of Stranahan was first presented by Richard Salter Storrs in 1888 during a dinner held in Stranahan's honor. Fundraising efforts started shortly thereafter, and after enough money had been raised, sculptor Frederick William MacMonnies was commissioned to design the statue. The statue would be MacMonnies's first commission in either Brooklyn or New York City. The statue was cast at the foundry of E. Gruet around 1891 and dedicated on June 6 of that year. MacMonnies's statue stood atop a pedestal designed by architect Stanford White. The dedication was attended by Stranahan himself and, when offered to unveil the statue, he turned down the offer and instead allowed MacMonnies the honor. Storrs gave the oration at the dedication. The statue has stood in Prospect Park since its unveiling. == Design ==

The bronze statue stands atop a pedestal consisting of Knoxville marble and pink granite and is located near the park entrance at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and East Drive. Stranahan, dressed in normal attire for the era including a bow tie, frock coat, and waistcoat, stands with his left foot forward, with his right arm holding a top hat by his side and a cane and topcoat in his left. Analysis Speaking of the statue in a 2008 book on monuments in Brooklyn, academic Elmer Sprague noted that "[b]y portraying him without a cloak, MacMonnies set a new style for post-Civil War civilian statues in America". A 1906 article in ''Munsey's Magazine'' discussing MacMonnies's works calls the Stranahan and Hale statues as "[t]he most successful of [his] portrait statues", claiming that the Stranahan statue "merits even more consideration than that of Hale". A 1902 review in the magazine Brush and Pencil said the following regarding the statue: "About the Stranahan statue, there has scarcely been a dissenting voice among critics as to its merit. It is one of the noblest works executed by an American sculptor. The realism of every-day costume in no way detracts from its beauty and impressiveness. The figure is firmly planted on its feet, and both pose and countenance convey the character of the man commemorated." Contemporary American sculptor Lorado Taft gave the statue high marks in a review, among other things citing the successful execution of the subject's costume, especially his silk hat. Regarding the realism of the statue, Taft gave the following: "Nothing truer has been done in our day. While there is a sculptural bigness in the arrangement as a whole and an unconventional freedom throughout, one is struck above all with the incisive characterization; the personality of the man is the first and last impression. You forget everything else. He is real. He is alive." In late 1891, MacMonnies would win a second place medal at the Paris Salon for his works on both this statue and his statue of Nathan Hale. == See also ==