284. Fountain of the Four Seasons

In the Christian Petersen Art Collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Date	1941
Material	Bedford limestone, terra cotta
Dimensions	overall: 40 x 144 ft. (101.6 x 365.8) [height x diameter]; Terra cotta fountain ring: 30 x 96 ft. (76.2 x 243.8) [height x diameter]
Description	Four kneeling figures of Native American women equally spaced around a fountain ring. The ring design is sprouting corn. Dedicated at VEISHEA celebration in May 1941.
Markings	n/a
Provenance / Location	Commissioned by Iowa State College. Permanent installation at the Memorial Union Courtyard. CPAC/AOC. U88.69
Alternate Title(s)	n/a
Notes / Sources	Ames Daily Tribune, May 6, 1941; "He Has Carved a Heritage", The Iowan, Vol. 2 No. 3, Feb. - March 1954; Transmission (Northern Natural Gas Co.), Vol. VIII No. 2, 1960; Ames Daily Tribune, Aug. 3, 1965; Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), July 7, 1968; Ames Daily Tribune, Aug. 7, 1975.

Placed around a circular fountain, the four seated American Indian women represent an Osage chant of thanksgiving. The four women face north, south, east and west, each demonstrating a line of the prayer. The first woman is planting the seed, "Lo, I come to the tender planting." The second bends close to the earth, "Lo, a tender shoot breaks forth." The third holds a harvest basket of maize, "Lo, I collect the golden harvest." The forth nurses her newborn baby, "Lo, there is joy in my house." These four sculptures are carved from Bedford limestone and are placed around a circular base of terra cotta which is sculpted with a corn relief.

Artist Christian Petersen took these notes during the sculpture's early stages: "Full water display symbolizes the fullness of the elements... arch of the sky... the life giving rains... the calmness of the Indians in the face of the turbulence... tranquil water... tranquility of the Indians... much water symbolizes elemental turbulence."

Dedicated at the VEISHEA celebration in May 1941. The Fountain of the Four Seasons was conserved and reinstalled in 1998 after a two year absence. The sculptures were damaged from salt, mineral deposits and other bacteria that had collected over the years. Conservation Technical Associates of Connecticut undertook the restoration project and in addition a new stainless steel plumbing system for the fountain was installed. The funding for this restoration project came from private donations as well as the Iowa State University Classes of 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1998. The rededication ceremony of The Fountain of the Four Seasons took place at the Memorial Union on June 6, 1998. At the ceremony, Iowa State University President Martin Jischke said: "This fountain represents why President Hughes brought Christian Petersen to this campus and why we continue to use the arts today not only to make this campus more beautiful and enjoyable but to enhance the education of the students who come here to study. This fountain is a wonderful representation of a way of life and culture through artistic expressions, way of life and culture that are different from the one that most of us know - but one that is an essential part of the history of this state and nation... Gazing at the beautiful serenity of the four Indian maidens welcoming all of the campus; relaxing or studying to the gentle sound of running water; and feeling the cool spray of water on windy days."

In 2022, the original sculptures were removed to re-construct the pool. The original sculptures are being re-carved in Vermont over the course of 2023-2024. The original sculptures will be returned to campus and placed inside for exhibition. The re-carved sculptures will be installed in the pool/fountain area in fall 2024.