American sculptor Henry Hering studied in New York, under Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who he assisted beginning in 1901, and later in Paris. He married sculptor Elsie Ward, who then gave up her own career to assist her husband. He was mainly known for his architectural sculptures from neoclassical to Beaux Arts to Art Deco style. In addition, he also designed American coins. He is further remembered in relation to the unfortunate crash of an American B-25 military airplane into New York City’s Empire State Building in 1945, when 14 people were killed. The largest sections of the plane remained lodged in the building between the 78th and 80th floors. However, one engine regrettably landed in Hering’s top floor penthouse studio, located in a building near the crash.
The work submitted was the championship medal for the Scarsdale Golf Club in Hartsdale, New York, where he had been a member since 1908. Hering was a passionate golfer himself and was also on the golf course during the plane crash that destroyed many of his works. Hering also acted as member of the jury for the 1932 art competitions. The National Sculpture Society later created the Henry Hering Award, which since 2000 is presented for outstanding collaboration between architect, owner and sculptor in the distinguished use of sculpture in an architectural project.
United States