Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Standing Lincoln (1887), considered one of the best statues of the 16th US president, shows him deep in contemplation right before he delivers a great speech. Saint-Gaudens based the 12ft-tall work on casts made of Lincoln’s face and hands during the former president's lifetime. The statue stands in a garden behind the Chicago History Museum, in the center of an exedra designed by renowned architect Stanford White.
Through the end of August 2020, you can hear Lincoln 'talk' through your smartphone (scan the nearby sign's QR code), relating his life in a speech written by Scott Turow and performed by actor John C Reilly (both Chicago natives). It's part of a program called Statue Stories Chicago (www.statuestorieschicago.com), which brings celebrated local writers and actors together to let 30 statues across the city tell you their stories. You can download a PDF map of them all from the website.