The Bird of Peace
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The Bird of Peace is a porcelain statue of mute swans gifted by Richard Nixon to The People's Republic of China during his 1972 diplomatic visit to the country.[1]
History
The swans were originally commissioned by Nixon to join his oval office collection of works by the late Edward Marshall Boehm. Helen Boehm, Edward's widow and operator of his business posthumously, was the organizer of this collection for Nixon. One day, after presenting a selection of 18 porcelain birds for Nixon's choosing, he expressed fatigue toward doves and hawks, suggesting to find a new bird to be an updated symbol of peace. Helen liked the idea and subsequently wrote to ornithologists around the world, seeking suggestions for what that new peace bird ought to be. Among the responses, the mute swan was most mentioned, frequently citing the swan's tranquility, even over the traditional dove.
Boehm and a team of 14 porcelain artists and craftsmen then worked for two years to produce the sculpture. The sculpture featured a male and female mute swan, three baby swans, weighed roughly 250 lbs, and stood over 42 inches high. The softness and detail in the feathers of the swans have been described as "hard to believe [they] are made of porcelain".
Upon Boehm notifying the White House of the completion of the statue in 1971, she was asked to make one additional change: because Nixon had decided to present the swans to Mao Zedong as a gift during the U.S President's upcoming visit to China, that a plaque and presidential seal should be added to the statue. This request was fulfilled.
During Nixon's visit the following year, he presented the swans to Premier Zhou Enlai in a gift-giving ceremony, and introduced the sculpture's artist (presumably Helen Boehm).[2]
Present Day
Today, the swans reside at the State Gifts exhibit in the National Museum of China, viewable behind glass box to museum visitors.[3]
References
- ^ "Swan Gift to Mao is Peace Bird". Chicago Tribute.
- ^ "History seen through gifts". China Daily.
- ^ "State Gifts:Historical Testament to Friendly Exchanges".