Tortoise and Hare Pin

The Tortoise and Hare are also in the Public Art section, as well as in Large Editions and in Maquettes.

The Tortoise and Hare at Copley Square was created by Nancy Schön as a tribute to the runners from all over the world who have participated in the Boston Marathon, the oldest road race in America. The sculpture, sponsored by the Friends of Copley Square, will help celebrate the 100th anniversary of this historic event.

"The Boston Marathon has been part of my life as long ago as I can remember," says Schön. "At that time, there were no official water stops, so we would go to Heartbreak Hill to hand out orange slices and cups of water from a little stand my friends and I created. I loved watching the men (there were only men then) as they sweated and pulled themselves up that long hill - knowing that they might be able to finish the race if they could manage that tough climb. Many runners don’t run for the time, they run for the challenge to finish. The tortoise speaks to that kind of strength and persistence."

Schön wanted to create a sculpture that would attract children, yet have meaning for the race. She couldn’t show a man running, or a woman, or a person in a wheelchair. The fable of the Tortoise and the Hare was a perfect metaphor for the wide variety of people from all over the world who participate in the Marathon - people of all ages, shapes and sizes, many of whom walk over the finish line.

These miniature sculptures were created exclusively for all those who are inspired by the powerful lesson the tortoise teaches. They were designed by internationally recognized sculptor, Nancy Schön, who is best known for her bronze sculpture in the Boston Public Garden - Make Way For Ducklings - based on Robert McCloskey’s book. Barbara Bush gave Raisa Gorbachev a replica of the ducks as a part of another historic event, the 1991 START Treaty ceremony. The sculpture, in Novodevichy Park, in Moscow, was "given in love and friendship to the children of the Soviet Union on behalf of the children of the United States."