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Frederick William MacMonnies 1863 - Born in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up he studies art under his mother, who was related to the painter Benjamin West.1880 - Hired by Augustus Saint-Gaudens to help out in his studio and soon promoted to studio assistant. This begins a lifelong friendship with the acclaimed sculptor. Studies at the both the National Academy of Design and The Art Students League in New York.1884 - Travels to Paris to study sculpture at the École des Beaux-Arts [pronounced: a-COL day boz-arh].1887 & 1888 - Wins the Prix d'Atelier [pree day-til-ee-AY], the highest award given to foreign students.1888 - Opens a studio in Paris and creates his most famous sculptures. Begins submitting work to the Paris Salon, which he continues to do throughout his lifetime. Marries artist Mary Louise Fairchild.1889 - Receives an honorable mention at the Paris Salon for his life size Diana. This leads to four important American commissions, including the Nathan Hale monument for City Hall Park in New York and the decorative Pan of Rohallion. Begins a 25-year pattern of traveling to the United States to consult and returning to Paris to work on his commissions.1891 - Awarded the commission for the Columbian Fountain for the 1893 World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago. This large decorative fountain piece became the focal point at the Exposition and establishes MacMonnies as one of the important sculptors of the time. Awarded a gold medal at the Paris Salon, the first given to an American sculptor.1893-1903 - Moves with his wife into a spacious 17th-century home decorated with their antique collection and hires three servants to help with the entertaining. MacMonnies' bronze reductions of Nathan Hale, Diana, Bacchante and Infant Faun, and Pan of Rohallion begin touring museums in the United States and increase his popularity even more. Elected to the rank of Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor in 1896 and awarded grand prize at the Paris Exposition of 1900. This was a decade of enormous productivity and personal satisfaction.1900-1904 - Launches into a new career as a painter and receives an honorable mention at the Paris Salon of 1901 for his first painting the submitted.1904-1908 - Returns to sculpture.1908 - Divorces Mary MacMonnies1910 - Marries former student Alice Jones1915 - Returns to New York and enjoys the theater, dinner parties, and New York social life. Dedicates the rest of his life to painting.
1937 - Dies from pneumonia on March 22.