Inside the Statue
Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi chose to build the Statue of Liberty out of copper – a lightweight metal – critical for such a large work. In order to fashion the metal, the sculptor had to first make full size sections of the Statue out of plaster. For each section, carpenters built a wooden form that duplicated the plaster shape. Thin copper sheets were placed on the backside of these forms and then hammered into shape by artisans, a technique called Repoussé.
The Statue’s immense size required a revolutionary support system, so Bartholdi called upon engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel. Central to Eiffel’s design was a framework of four wrought-iron columns to which was attached a vast interior strapwork – made up of armature bars, steel brackets known as saddles, and rivets – that support the Statue’s copper “skin.” His innovative support system resembles the famous tower in Paris which bears his name.
Courtesy hmdb.org
