University museums curator Sydney Marshall (left) and art conservator Francis Miller (center) guide the first limestone sculpture to its fountain ledge while Chris Gerver, Barnhart Crane and Rigging, hand signals to his colleague on Union Drive. Photos by Christopher Gannon.
After a 21-month absence from the Memorial Union front lawn, the four limestone maidens in Christian Petersen's Fountain of the Four Seasons sculpture were returned to their posts Aug. 5. Despite their weight -- each is about 1,100 pounds -- the work was completed in just under two hours.
Except these are replicas of the four maidens removed in November 2022, meticulously created in the likeness and spirit of Petersen's 1940 originals. Eighty years of rain, ice and wind eroded the surfaces of the four maidens to the point that university museums opted to have replicas carved while it's still possible to recreate detail from the originals.
"I think they're fabulous. You can see so much detail," said university museums director Lynette Pohlman, who watched with immense satisfaction as the sculptures were lowered into place, one by one.
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The story of the influences on Christian Petersen's creation of the Fountain of the Four Seasons is captured in an exhibition at the Christian Petersen Art Museum, Morrill Hall, that's been extended through the end of fall semester.
Observed a photographer also watching the work, "It feels like we're seeing the same maidens, except these are in focus."
(Ten days into the Paris Olympics), Pohlman also noted, "To me, our 'Eiffel Tower' moment on this campus is from the Memorial Union front steps, past the fountain and the campus green to the campanile.
"That's our most cherished view. You know where you're at," she added. "So it's wonderful to have the two back together again."
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There's still work to be done before the fountain gets turned on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 4. Connecticut artist and art conservator Francis Miller continues to work on the sculpture, grouting and pointing to prevent water damage and putting the terra cotta ring pieces back in place.
The basin also will receive a third coat of green sealant this month, and then all those waterproofing products will cure for about six weeks. (The green color also replicates Petersen's original design for his fountain.)
A pool and fountain for the Memorial Union's north lawn date back to 1937. Petersen's limestone maidens and terra cotta ring were added in 1941 after the university artist-in-residence proposed the concept to President Charles Friley in 1940.
Pohlman said museums staff considered other mediums -- bronze, granite, cast stone, for example -- before choosing limestone for the replica maidens.
"In the end, we came back to the idea of a faithful replication, doing it as Petersen did it," she said.
Art conservator Francis Miller uses a level to assess the temporary position of the fourth maiden on the Fountain of the Four Seasons.
The fountain and basin have become Miller and Marshall's workspace since the four replica maidens were installed on the north lawn of the Memorial Union. Petersen's original terra cotta pieces will cover the black ring around the fountain.
The four limestone sculptures await their final transfer the morning of Aug. 5.
