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

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posted by Squirreleen.

"This is one of two partially finished stone sculptures by Lorado Taft. Lorado Taft created these statues, and Walter Zimmerman, a Chicago sculptor, carved them in 1933 out of Indian limestone. They are fragments from the vast unfinished Fountain of Creation, which was originally planned for the east end of the Midway in Chicago. The plaques on the statues incorrectly spell Pyrrha, "Pyrrah." Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora. Pyrrha, the first mortal-born woman married her cousin, Deucalion, and survived the Flood with him. Her daughters were Pandora and Thyla; each had children by Zeus. There are companion sculptures, "Sons of Deulcalion," which can be found on the south side of Foellinger Auditorium. (from the U of I website).

For more information, see:
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the Wikipedia entry about Lorado Taft.

From the Arts Inventory site:
Inscription: (Two plaques on the lower front, each:) THE TAFT COLLECTION/A DAUGHTER OF PYRRAH (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

The south figure is a nude female, sitting on her heals, with her head bowed. Her proper right arm is extended with her hand resting on a stone between her legs. Her proper left arm is bent up with her hand touching her hair, which falls down over her proper left breast. Legs are bent with thighs resting on calves; her feet and ankles are unfinished. Figure rests on an unfinished block of stone with a bronze plaque in front.

The north figure is a female crouching down and sitting on her heels with both arms raised. Her hands are clasped over her forehead. Her hair fall down to the thighs. The front torso is unfinished except for the side of the proper left breast, and the stone matrix is still in place. The figure rests on an unfinished block of stone with a bronze plaque in front.

North sculpture: approx. 70 x 40 x 51 in.; South sculpture: approx. 84 x 43 x 41 in

TITLE: Daughters of Deucalion and Pyrrha ARTIST(S): Taft, Lorado Zadoc, 1860-1936, sculptor. Zimmerman, Walter, d. 1937, carver. DATE: 1933. MEDIUM: Limestone on a concrete base. CONTROL NUMBER: IAS IL000336 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: University of Illinois, Main Library, east side, 1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801 DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: none

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