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In early 1963, Mr. Felix de Weldon was chosen by Jacqueline
Kennedy to produce the sculptural portrait of President
Kennedy that was to be a featured item in the Kennedy Library.
In truth, there did not seem to be any question that Mr.
de Weldon was clearly the choice for this major project,
as it is fair to say that the artist has been accorded more
honors than any other sculptor of the twentieth century.
In the spring of 1963 Felix de Weldon began his work on
the Kennedy bust.
The work was being created from life, as the President posed
in the White House. The work was nearing completion when
the tragic events of November 1963 occurred. The nearly
finished sculpture was removed to de Weldon's studio where
the artist was encouraged to complete the effort. Jacqueline
Kennedy and Dave Powers visited de Weldon during the post-assassination
days, adding their input that would help the work truly
capture the essence of the late President.
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The Bust of John F. Kennedy is surrounded by a great
deal of history . President Kennedy posed for Mr.
de Weldon twice at the White House shortly before
he was assassinated in November of 1963.
De Weldon used to remember: "After the President
was assassinated, Mrs. Kennedy came to my studio to
supervise the completion of the Kennedy bust. When
she saw the finished work for the first time she burst
into tears. This was a very sad day. I remember Mrs.
Kennedy wearing white gloves, walking slowly toward
the clay model touching the corners of the lips, making
the image a happier John F. Kennedy". This is
the Kennedy Family's favorite image of President Kennedy
and the official piece which graces the John F. Kennedy
Library on Columbia Point in Massachusetts. Mrs. Kennedy
wrote a letter to Mr. de Weldon complimenting him
and thanking him for his achievement.
The de Weldon bust was unveiled at the then recently
established Kennedy Library where Jacqueline Kennedy
went from tears to an obvious moment of pride, touching
the lips of the sculpture and telling the audience
how it captured the essence of her late husband. According
to Powers, then director of the Kennedy Library, the
work reminded him of how the President looked upon
hearing "Hail to the Chief".
Soon after Mr. de Weldon was chosen to do the Kennedy
Bust, President Kennedy made his historic visit to
Berlin on June 25, 1963 and made his very famous
speech. The words from this speech: "All
free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of
Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride
in the words Ich bin ein Berliner." greatly affected
Mr. de Weldon, inspiring him to capture the spirit
of John F. Kennedy.
On June 1, 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy wrote the following
letter to Felix de Weldon. Click
here to see the letter.
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