Minerva - Augusta, ME - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

In Augusta, on top of the Maine Capitol Dome, is the figure of Minerva, or Lady Wisdom.

The sculpture is a gold leafed figure with her right arm raised. Sources say that she is holding a light - as it was day time, I could not confirm that there was a light there. The figure faces east toward the front of the capitol and toward the river.

The Maine government site has a good historical account of the sculpture. The sculptor, Clark Noble, was a native of Maine. His works can be found worldwide. The following is from the site:

"The draped female figure that adorns the State Capitol building is perhaps best known to the Citizens of Maine. Although the Statue is commonly misreferenced as Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, or Minerva, the Italian Goddess of Arts and Crafts..." To Noble, it was "a classic figure of a woman he named "Lady of Wisdom" with right arm rigidly upraised, close to the head, with torch in hand, Mr. Noble's conception of Augusta (the City), holding a pine torch (the State)."

It was recently restored and is now very shiny in gold gilding.


Source:

Maine Government (Lady):
(visit link)

TITLE: Minerva ARTIST(S): Noble, W. Clark DATE: 1/1/1909 MEDIUM: Copper structure and gold guilding CONTROL NUMBER: IAS ME000032 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: On top of the Maine State Capitol dome, west of State Street. DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: From the Maine government web site: "The draped female figure that adorns the State Capitol building is perhaps best known to the Citizens of Maine. Although the Statue is commonly misreferenced as Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, or Minerva, the Italian Goddess of Arts and Crafts..."

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