Two reclining nude figures on either side of a small fountain. Fountain and pool were removed for conservation from Roberts Hall in 1998 and installed in the Anderson Sculpture Garden in 2015.
Published onDec 15, 2023
189. Reclining Nudes (Roberts Hall Fountain)
In the Christian Petersen Art Collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Pat Bliss archives, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Original Roberts Hall installation.
Date
1936
Material
Terra cotta cast in nine panels
Dimensions
25” x 13’7” x 8” (63.5 x 4.18 m x 20.3)
Description
Two reclining nude figures on either side of a small fountain. Fountain and pool were removed for conservation from Roberts Hall in 1998 and installed in the Anderson Sculpture Garden in 2015.
Markings
Inscription: AND NO WORLD MORE WIDE, SINCE ALL HER DREAMS START HERE AND HERE ABIDE
Provenance / Location
Commissioned by Iowa State College. CPAC/AOC. U88.74
Alternate Title(s)
n/a
Notes / Sources
Images in the Pat Bliss archives, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Iowa State Daily, May 17, 1940; Ames Daily Tribune, Jan. 15, 1942.
This terra cotta bas relief, installed as a fountain, is a rarity in the work of Christian Petersen. The nude female form common in Petersen's studio works never appeared in his public sculptures until he completed this commission for an Iowa State women's residence hall entrance. The only public large-scale nudes produced by him, the two reclining female figures are gracefully but deeply incised, giving them a strong and formal presence that avoids any suggestion of allure or eroticism. The sculptures were designed for the steps on Roberts Hall and include the line, "and no world more wide, since all her dreams start here and here abide," from the poem "Sancta Ursula" by William Aspenwald Bradley. The figures and text reflect the promise of education, particularly for female students in the 1930s. After this sculptures, Petersen's only other adult nudes would be found in private collections. These sculptures were removed from Roberts Hall and are currently installed in the Anderson Sculpture Garden between Morrill Hall and the Hub.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
