The Statue of Liberty The Monumental Dream

Timed to publish with the opening of the Statue of Liberty Museum, this is Lady Liberty's untold story of her building, restoration, and iconic place in the world as brought to life through the fascinating lens of archival images, ephemera from the museum's collection, and today's most compelling photography--restored and resplendent against the New York City skyline.

Following Rizzoli's acclaimed series with the September 11 Memorial and Museum--The Stories They Tell and No Day Shall Erase You--we now are partnering with the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation to publish this official book on the Statue of Liberty. The material from the book will be drawn from the collections and archives that will be on display in the brand new Statue of Liberty Museum--opening in May 2019

The Statue of Liberty is more than a monument. It is a symbol of freedom that draws more than four million visitors annually from around the world. Officially named "Liberty Enlightening the World," the statue was a joint effort between America and France to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. The book follows the story as told in the new Museum--from its conception and creation to its restoration in 1986 to Lady Liberty's place as a shining icon to the world.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation (SOLEIF) was founded in 1982 and charged with raising funds for the restoration of the Statue and of Ellis Island. The foundation has riased over $700 million to date from private ctizens and has restored the statue, the Ellis Island complex and now is opening the Statue of Liberty Museum

Going by the title of the "Godmother of the Statue of Liberty," fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg is the head fundraiser for the Statue of Liberty Museum--raising over 100 million dollars. By 1976, von Furstenberg had sold over a million wrap dresses and was featured on the cover of Newsweek. In 2012, she was named the most powerful woman in fashion by Forbes magazine.

Robert Belot is a university professor at Universite Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne, and the author of The Statue of Liberty: in Search of a Secret (French language publication).