It’s springtime at Planting Fields and that means the return of sculptures to the Blue Pool Garden and Circular Pool in the Cloister Garden. The history of sculptures at Planting Fields warrants further attention, starting with the Camellia Greenhouse. In 1920, landscape architect James Dawson encouraged W.R. to pursue an original sculpture of Dawson’s own design which would give him the “satisfaction of knowing that the fountain in your camellia pool is designed for that place and no other.” He also stressed the importance of a bronze sculpture in the Camellia Greenhouse versus a lead one, to differentiate it from sculptures in the garden.
Ultimately, W.R. did not commission Dawson’s design, an original sculpture of a boy with a fish, but did purchase a sculpture of a boy with a swan. It’s possible this sculpture was inspired by Theodor Kalide’s Fountain with boy and swan[i]. Originally placed in the Camellia Greenhouse, this sculpture was moved to the Circular Pool circa the 1930s, and this remains its current location today.
Boy with Swan in Camellia Greenhouse, 1920, courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
Boy with Swan in Circular Pool, 1934.
The original sculpture in the Circular Pool was of Eros, the Greek god of love, by Belgian sculptor Gilles-Lambert Godecharle. Eros was purchased from dealer Jacques Seligmann in 1921 and reportedly originated from the Château Sant-Croix in Bruges. Seligmann wrote to Mai recommending that the sculpture be sketched prior to installation to determine its proportion to the setting, suggesting French landscape architect Jacques Gréber for the task, though there is no record that the sketch was ever realized. Eros was later moved to Robert Coe’s Cannes estate.
Eros in the Circular Pool, circa 1921
For the Blue Pool Garden, two lead statues were purchased from John Wanamaker in 1917, image circa 1921.
One of a pair of Bacchanalian boys purchased through James Dawson, that once sat on either side of the bench under the Tea House pergola, 1929.
Clay model of the boy with fish sculpture, never realized for Planting Fields, 1919.
– Marie Penny, Director of Collections and Research
[i] https://www.rct.uk/collection/41829/fountain-with-boy-and-swan
Header image: Sketch of original sculpture by James Dawson, 1919, courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
All images Planting Fields Foundation Archives unless otherwise noted.