A Sculpture for John F. Kennedy's Funeral Disappeared in the 1970s. Now, It’s Been Found

The assembled and completed sculpture in Louis Féron’s studio.Photo byOak Spring Garden Foundation

In amazing news, a bronze sculptural wreath created for John F. Kennedy's grave, which had vanished in the 1970s, has recently been rediscovered. The wreath was designed to commemorate a special moment during Kennedy's funeral when the Honor Guard removed their hats and placed them on his grave. Jeweler Jean Schlumberger and sculptor Louis Féron created the wreath, it featured elements that symbolized Kennedy's life and values. The military caps represented his service, the driftwood his love for the sea, and the oak leaf centerpiece his strength and resilience.

Jacqueline and her children visit Kennedy's gravesite on May 29, 1964.Photo byBettmann via Getty Images

James L. Felder, a member of the Honor Guard, recalled the emotional weight of the ceremonies surrounding John F. Kennedy's burial on November 22, 1963. Following Kennedy's reinterment in 1967, the original hats placed on his grave were removed, fading from public memory. 

The memorial artwork hadn't been seen since the 1970s when it was placed on a replica of Kennedy's gravesite in Upperville, Virginia.Photo byLouis Féron / Leslie S. Feron Trust / © 2024 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Why the sculpture was never placed, and its subsequent disappearance has alluded many, but speculation that due to secrecy, cultural shifts, and aesthetic concern with rising antiwar sentiment in the 1970s made military tributes less fitting. Or that Jacqueline Kennedy felt the wreath was too ornate for her husband's simple gravesite. Eventually, it was packed away in crates at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library during its construction, leading to its long-forgotten status until it was rediscovered just recently.

The military hats resting around Kennedy's permanent gravesite on April 6, 1967.Photo byEverett Hicks

Plans are now underway to restore and possibly exhibit the wreath, which could provide a unique connection to Kennedy's legacy and the historical events surrounding his burial.