Lincoln: The Great Emancipator Mural

Abraham Lincoln makes a striking appearance in downtown Marion with Lincoln: The Great Emancipator, a six-story mural painted by artists Josh Benson and Shawn Vincelette on the west wall of the Citadel. The mural is the second work of public art to transform this prominent downtown wall. The original ``Statue of Freedom`` mural depicted the iconic figure that crowns the U.S. Capitol dome. When a fire escape was later required for the building, the addition compromised the original artwork and the wall ultimately needed to be fully repainted. Rather than simply recreate what had been there, the artists and building owner chose a new direction. The result is a towering portrait of Abraham Lincoln, selected in part for the visual weight of his face and its ability to carry a wall of this scale. While the artwork has changed, the site continues its story as one of downtown Marion's most visible canvases, preserving a piece of its past while giving visitors something entirely new to see.
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History of the former Citadel mural:
The ``Statue of Freedom``, also known as Armed Freedom or simply Freedom, is a bronze statue designed by Thomas Crawford (1814–1857) that, since 1863, has crowned the dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Originally named Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace, a U.S. government publication now states that the statue “is officially known as the Statue of Freedom”. The statue depicts a female figure bearing a military helmet and holding a sheathed sword in her right hand and a laurel wreath and shield in her left. Design for The Citadel building. Citadel means, “a fortress, typically on high ground, protecting or dominating a city.”