The "Wisconsin" statue on the dome was sculpted by Daniel Chester French of New York in 1920. Her left hand holds a globe with an eagle on it and her right arm is outstretched to symbolize the state motto, “Forward.” She wears a helmet with the state animal, the badger, on top. She is made of hollow bronze covered with gold leaf.

Daniel Chester French (April 20, 1850 – October 7, 1931) was an American sculptor. His best-known work is the sculpture of a seated Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. He is also known for his design in 1917 of the Pulitzer Prize gold medal that is presented to laureates.