Lamp to be removed from governor’s office

Print More

Governor Jim Douglas wants a certain lamp removed from his Statehouse office. The lamp is a replica of a famous 19th century statue of a chained, nude slave. The image became an icon of the abolitionist movement before the Civil War. The original sculpture was crafted by Vermont-born artist Hiram Powers.

Douglas spokesman Jason Gibbs says the governor doesn’t object to the art. He says it may be awkward to explain to school-age visitors why there’s a nude Greek slave on the desk. Gibbs says the main reason for removing the lamp is to keep it from getting broken or damaged. The statue will be returned to the office when the Legislature is not in session.

Comments are closed.