298. Library Boy and Girl

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

Date	1944
Material	Bedford Limestone
Dimensions	Boy: 84 x 26 x 26 in. (213.4 x 66 x 66 cm); Girl: 84 x 23 ½ x 24 in. (213.4 x 59.7 x 61 cm)
Description	Seated boy and girl mounted on low pedestals on each side of the stairway leading to the second floor, the figures represent two college students admiring each other.
Markings	n/a
Provenance / Location	Commissioned by Iowa State College; permanent installation inside Iowa State University Library; CPAC/AOC. U88.67ab
Alternate Title(s)	n/a
Notes / Sources	Papers, SC, Box 2 f.4, 1950 Memo; Lund, Jean (1947) "Christian Petersen Shapes 3-Ton Coeds," The Iowa Homemaker: Vol. 27 No. 3; "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; Ames Daily Tribune, Aug. 7, 1975.

In 1944 Christian Petersen created the larger-than-life sculptures for two pedestals flanking the stairs of the east lobby in the original Iowa State Library. The Library Boy and Girl are formidable images that embody strength and youth. Petersen chose to make his figures sturdy midwestern students, like the men and women he taught in his art classes or met at campus activities. The Library Boy and Girl were Petersen's tribute to the student community and memorials to learning. By the time these were created, many who had been college students were now serving their country in World War II. The artist felt the sculptures symbolized young Americans personifying the world's hope for peace and freedom.

Petersen also included an element of truthful humor, revealing another element of campus life. The figures, under the pretext of studying, are actually admiring each other. The young woman, with perfect posture, sits holding her text on her knees, while slightly tilting her head to glance at the young man. He appears worrisome and looks as though he has been nervously jiggling his foot while stealing a glance at the girl. Her confidence and his anxiety reflect campus conditions of the 1940s, when the ratio of men to women was ten to one, creating very poor odds for a male admirer trying to capture a female student's attention.