Two massive bronze equestrian statues flanking the entrance to the Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. are gleaming again, freshly re-gilded in 23.75-karat gold leaf. The pair, known as the "Arts of War" statues, sit at the western end of the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial and weigh roughly 80,000 pounds apiece. Their new shine is the result of a restoration project commissioned by the National Park Service under the Trump Administration at a cost of approximately US$5 million. ArtNews

The National Park Service hired The Gilders' Studio, a Maryland-based firm, in mid-April to carry out the work. NOTUS The project involves applying gold leaf — sheets of gold hammered thin enough to be brushed onto a prepared surface — across the statues' towering figures of horsemen and their winged companions. The BBC reported the finished result on 29 July, showing the statues catching sunlight in a way they have not for years. BBC

The Arts of War statues, sculpted by James Earle Fraser, have stood at the site since 1951. Each depicts a mounted warrior accompanied by allegorical figures representing war's dual nature. Over decades of weather and pollution, their original gilding faded to a dull greenish-brown, the patina — the surface colour that aged bronze naturally acquires — replacing the gold that once covered the figures.

The re-gilding fits into a broader pattern of federal beautification spending under the current administration, which has directed funds toward visible improvements on the National Mall and surrounding monuments. The National Park Service, which manages the land, has not detailed a full public timeline for the project but confirmed the contract and the studio assignment through procurement records reported by NOTUS in May. NOTUS

The National Park Service's news releases page now carries a disclaimer that "News Releases published online before January 20, 2025 are NOT UPDATED and links may not work," a notice that appears to reflect administrative changes following President Trump's inauguration. NPS

For visitors approaching the Lincoln Memorial from the Virginia side of the Potomac, the effect is immediate: two enormous golden figures now bookend the bridge entrance, impossible to miss.