Before and after of Abraham Lincoln’s wax sculpture | Image Credits: @volcaholic1 on X
A wax statue of former US President Abraham Lincoln, standing six feet tall, has been severely damaged by extreme heat in Washington DC over the weekend. The high temperatures, which reached triple digits (Fahrenheit), caused the statue’s head to detach, followed by the legs, leaving only the torso intact. The chair supporting the figure also sank into the ground, unable to withstand the heat.
The BBC reported that the head of the Lincoln Memorial replica is currently undergoing repairs, with a wire sticking out from the neck of the former president. This memorial, placed by the non-profit CulturalDC, is located on the grounds of Garrison Elementary School. The site was formerly Camp Barker, a Civil War-era refugee camp that provided shelter to formerly enslaved and freed African Americans.
The wax statue was created by Virginia-based artist Sandy Williams IV as part of The Wax Monument Series. This series serves as both a visual representation and a functional candle. The statue has faced melting issues before. When it was first installed in September last year, the monument featured over 100 wicks that were lit prematurely, causing significant portions of the installation to melt before its dedication ceremony.
A revised version of the statue was installed in February with fewer and strategically placed wicks. It also features a plaque that instructs visitors to “Please blow out your wick within 1-2 minutes.” According to its website, the installation aims to provide “direct commentary on DC’s history of Civil War-era Contraband Camps.” This statue is the third instalment in Williams’ 40 ACRES Archive – The Wax Monument series, which showcases wax replicas of well-known public monuments and cultural symbols.
