Sons of Deucalion and Pyrrha - Urbana, IL - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

Lorado Taft (1860 - 1936) was a famous sculptor who was an alumni of the University of Illinois. Although many of his works are in Illinois, he also had many commissions for statues, sculptures, and fountains throughout the United States, including Louisiana, Colorado, Washington, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

Taft's final work was the unfinished "Fountain of Creation," which he had hoped to put on The Midway near the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL opposite his masterpiece the "Fountain of Time." After his death the statues that had been completed were given to the University of Illinois. These two are located on the south side of Foellinger Auditorium, with two more in front of the east entrance of the University Library.

Learn more about Lorado Taft at University of Illinois at (visit link)

From the Art Inventory site:
Dimensions: 2 figures. West figure: approx. 76 x 37 x 50 in.; East figure: approx. 66 x 39 x 57 in.; Base for each figure: approx. 7 x 44 x 62 in.
Inscription: (Bronze plaque in front of each figure:) THE TAFT COLLECTION/A SON OF DUCALION (sic)/FRAGMENT FROM THE VAST UNFINISHED/FOUNTAIN OF CREATION/DESIGNED BY/LORADO TAFT/TO STAND AT THE EAST END OF THE/MIDWAY IN CHICAGO unsigned
Description: The West figure is a nude male sitting on his heels, the face is unfinished. His proper right arm extends around the front into the proper left armpit. His proper left hand in on his proper right knee. The torso is unfinished in the front with stone matrix still in place. Legs are bent at the knee with thighs resting on the calves. The feet are unfinished.
The East figure is a nude male in a crouching pose, head on knees, hands on feet. Face and front torso are unfinished with the stone matrix still in place. The feet are unfinished.

TITLE: Sons of Deucalion and Pyrrha ARTIST(S): Taft, Lorado Zadoc, 1860-1936, sculptor. DATE: 1933 MEDIUM: Indiana limestone on a concrete base. CONTROL NUMBER: IAS IL000418 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: behind the Foellinger Auditorium DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: none

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.