Max Kalish (b.1891-d.1945)

In 1923, the Cleveland Press initiated a weeklong drive to raise to money to create this statue. Most of the $30,000 raised came from pennies and nickels donated by thousands of school children. Max Kalish was selected as sculptor four years later. Finding the proper location seemed the most difficult aspect. About 2500 students were there when the statue was unveiled. (See full story of sculpture piece in A Walking Tour and Guide to Public Art in Downtown Cleveland a publication of Cleveland Public Art.) The photographs of this piece show the artist creating the original work and the deterioration and restoration stages. This is a sample of the visionary work of the Sculpture Center conservation and restoration program. (6-8 photographs) (See reference of visionary project in Chapter Eight) Max Kalish studied sculpture as a teenager under Herman Matsen at the Cleveland School of Art, and went to New York and Europe for more study. For many years the themes of his bronzes sculptures were of laborers (1921-38). The Lincoln statue may be the only work displayed out of doors. He exhibited his work in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago as well as in Cleveland.

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