Guardianship, Limestone sculpture at National Archives Building, District of Columbia, United States.

Guardianship is a 1935 limestone sculpture by James Earle Fraser placed in front of the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. It shows a seated male figure holding a helmet and a sheathed sword, with fasces beside him. Carved weapons and helmets cover the base. It is the companion piece to Fraser's Heritage.

James Earle Fraser created this monumental work in 1935 during a period of federal building expansion across Washington's architecture. The sculpture was part of a broader effort to express the strength and permanence of American government through public art.

Guardianship is the companion piece to Heritage, the other Fraser sculpture at the National Archives Building. The seated figure holds a sheathed sword and a helmet, symbols of the records the building protects. Visitors often read the fasces and carved weapons on the base as references to the authority behind the documents kept inside.

The sculpture is located at the south entrance of the building and is easily accessible from the plaza area. Visitors can examine the detailed carved weapons and helmets at the base from multiple angles to appreciate the craftsmanship.

Guardianship has a companion piece, Heritage, also by James Earle Fraser, installed at the National Archives Building. The two figures were conceived as a pair for the building's entrance, and visitors who look for both can compare how Fraser treated the seated figures and their carved attributes.