Colonel Richard Owen (bust)
| Colonel Richard Owen | |
|---|---|
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| Artist | Belle Kinney Scholz |
| Year | 1913 |
| Type | Bronze on limestone base |
| Dimensions | 180 cm × 100 cm (70 in × 40 in) |
| Location | Indiana Statehouse, Indianapolis, IN |
| Coordinates: 39°46′07″N 86°09′46″W / 39.768651°N 86.162664°W | |
| Owner | State of Indiana |
The Colonel Richard Owen bust is a public artwork by American artist Belle Kinney Scholz and is located in the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The bronze bust was dedicated in 1913 as a memorial to U.S. Army Colonel Richard Owen. It was funded by contributions from individuals and Confederate veteran associations in recognition of Owen's courtesy to Confederate prisoners of war while he was commandant of Camp Morton, a prison camp in Indianapolis, during the American Civil War. The bust is approximately 70 inches (180 cm) tall (including base), 40 inches (100 cm), and 21 inches (53 cm).
The bronze bust rests on a three-part limestone base. The sculpture depicts Owen from the waist up wearing a Union military uniform with a cape-like overcoat. Owen's arms are folded across his chest and he gazes down to the proper right. The bottom, proper left side of the bust has an inscription that reads, "Belle Kinney/NY". The upper base has a wave motif carved into a border. The center base contains an inscription written with affixed bronze letters:
Beneath the inscription, thirteen bronze stars (each approximately 3/4 inches wide) are arranged in a single horizontal line. On the top proper left side of the center base as inscription references the sculptor: "Belle Kinney, Sc". The bottom base is bordered by a row of leaves carved into the stone. In 2006 the Indiana State Museum listed the piece in excellent condition.
In February 1862, after the fall of Fort Donelson, Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton agreed to hold Confederate prisoners of war at Camp Morton in Indianapolis. Morton summoned Owen's regiment, the 60th Indiana Volunteers, and others to Indiana to guard the camp's 3,700 prisoners. Owen assumed command of the camp on 24 February 1862 and remained in charge until his regiment was transferred to General Halleck's command in Kentucky on 26 May 1862. Owen left Indianapolis with his regiment on 20 June 1862. As commandant of Camp Morton, Owen established new rules for prisoner conduct and was known for his generosity and fair treatment of the camp's prisoners.
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