A Final "Thank You!!!" to Anna and Archer

For those of you who might have missed us over the last couple of days - sorry to keep you waiting!!!  We've had some computer woes and couldn't seem to get things updated properly.  But, even though the problems persist, at least we think we reached a point where we could proceed with our visit to Brookgreen Gardens.

Flying Wild Geese - Marshall Frederick

As we were talking about in our last post, the presentations of wildlife in the sculpture found here are extraordinarily varied.  From marble to bronze, from highly naturalistic to stylized, one cannot miss the deep affection the artists have for their wild subjects.  And we certainly seem attuned to that affection.  I was looking at the statue of the geese on the right and it seemed awfully familiar to me.  I have since found that it is one of the most popular sculptures around and that it is found at many corporate sites.  I can't remember where else I have seen it but when I do I'll let you know.  Another popular subject at Brookgreen is "man's best friend."  Shortly before our last visit they had

Bella and The Bug - Louise Peterson

an entire show dedicated to sculptures of dogs.  Most were still there when we visited and were amazing!!  Of course the other animals that           inhabit Brookgreen Gardens cover just about the entire spectrum of species.  From the gentlest to the most ferocious.  From everyday farm animals to fantastic mythical creatures.  As we saw in the last post, many of the statues combine humans and animals in humorous,

Pegasus - Edward Ratti

touching and sometimes frightening combinations.  One of the most remarkable is the exquisite "Pegasus" by Edward Ratti.  Mr. Ratti is one of the most enigmatic characters I have run across in studying the

Pegasus - detail

remarkable artists who have contributed their works to this incredible collection.  References to him are extremely limited and he is always listed as a "carver" rather than a sculptor.  But, interestingly, his work can be found in virtually every corner of our nations capitol - including the majestic 100 foot long tympanum pediment above the entrance to the National Archives and

Diana - Augustus Saint-Gaudens

the bas relief of "Wisdom" in the Senate of the United States.  (How we pray!!!)  And speaking of our capitol - one of the statues that touched me in a really unusual way was one of the many statues of "Diana" - this one by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.  I had to know more about the man who fashioned this evocative, yet serene, sculpture and what I found amazed me.  I won't try to recapture his biography here - but - Saint-Gaudens was commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 to design a new $20.00 gold coin to supplement the existing $10.00 gold coin - then popularly known as "The Eagle."  Since the new coin was twice the value

Diana - Paul Manship

of the Eagle it came to be known as "The Double Eagle."  Extraordinarily beautiful and highly detailed, the coin was resented by the people responsible for producing it and, consequently, few were minted during the 26 years it was issued.  It came to be known as the most beautiful coin ever minted in the U.S. and one of the most beautiful in the world.  (I like it because it bears such a strong resemblance to the U.S. "Half Dollar" coin I grew up with.)  Anyway - Saint-Gaudens was an amazing artist!!  And speaking of Diana - she is everywhere in Brookgreen Gardens and every single sculpture is a masterpiece in it's own way.  I found the statues by Mrs. Huntington to be particularly beautiful but the one above by Paul

Manship was remarkable for the extraordinary eyes!!!  As we talked about earlier, fountains abound at Brookgreen and each one is a wonderful spot to pause and reflect on the world around you.  But there is absolutely no better

The Sculptor

place for such reflection than the "Fountain of the Muses."  This thoughfully designed piece represents the four branches of the "fine arts" - Poetry, Architecture, Music and Painting.  The fifth figure standing isolated to the left is the Sculptor who, like the painter and the musician - is still reaching for his gift from the gods.  All five

Madonna and Child

are shown rushing homeward, anxious to implement their new ideas!!! To me, the incredible juxtaposition of whimsical - yet deeply meaningful - representations such as this with other sculptures that touch the deepest centers of feeling in the human spirit is one of the rarest and most creative features of this astonishing place.  I believe it is virtually impossible to come here and to thoughtfully consider what these amazing artists were trying to tell us and not be moved to the core of your being.  Clearly, Archer and Anna Huntington were rare and gifted people who used their talents and their fortune to the betterment of mankind.

The Visionaries - Anna Hyatt Huntingto

Their passion for art in all its forms, their commitment to the environment and protection of nature's creatures and their deep compassion for their fellow man all give us reason to respect and appreciate them.  But, for those of us who are children of South Carolina it is virtually impossible to assess our debt to this remarkable couple.  In traveling around Brookgreen Sculpture Gardens, the rice and indigo plantation areas, the zoological park, Atalaya and Huntington State Park I find myself profoundly grateful for their presence on this earth.  I look at this statue of Archer and Anna (depicted in this sculpture by Anna as they discuss the plans for Brookgreen Gardens) and I am filled with admiration and respect for these remarkable human beings.  We'll be back soon with a new itinerary and more travels - so, rest up!!  See ya.