Lewis and Clark Relief Sculpture

Photo:  Creative Commons, 2.0., Cacophony

Just outside the main entrance to the Oregon State Capitol you’ll find this relief carving dedicated to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Leo Friedlander created the work in 1934 of the two Captains and Sacagawea out of white Vermont marble. The work is titled, “Westward the Star of Empire Takes Its Way.”

On the back of the carving is a map outlining the area traveled by the Corps of Discovery, as well as hunting scenes and depictions of the meetings with Native peoples.

Friedlander was an American sculptor who studied in New York, Brussels, and Paris. His work appears at Valley Forge National Historic Park, the Museum of the City of New York, the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center, the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., and over 15 other locations around the country.