Study for Equestrian Monument (Gen. John B. Gordon)

Solon H. Borglum's preparatory sketch for a monumental equestrian bronze depicts a classical composition with dynamic anatomical study. The figure sits astride a striding horse, rendered in ink wash and charcoal with careful attention to musculature and pose. Borglum (1868–1922), born in Utah and trained as both sculptor and painter, developed this design for a public monument honoring a Confederate general. The work demonstrates the academic tradition of preliminary studies for large-scale sculpture, combining architectural ambition with fine draftsmanship—a practice central to American civic monuments of the early twentieth century.