Walt Whitman (Davidson)

Davidson began working on a depiction of Whitman after entering a competition for it in 1925.

Although that statue was never developed, Davidson continued to refine what he had started.

[1] While working on the statue, Davidson first made a life-sized clay nude, then had a special armature created that allowed him to independently move the arms and legs, allowing him to get the exact movement that he was seeking.

Davidson stated, "Nothing in my statue of Walt Whitman could be static and finally, I got the rhythm I was after.

"[6] Another casting of the statue was done in 1957, purchased by the Fairmount Park Art Association and placed at the intersection of Broad Street and Packer Avenue, near the approach to the Walt Whitman Bridge.