Statue of Edgar Fahs Smith
 The statue in 2010 | |
 | |
| 39°57′6″N 75°11′32″W / 39.95167°N 75.19222°W | |
| Location | University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|
| Designer | R. Tait McKenzie (statue) Horace Trumbauer (pedestal) |
| Fabricator | Roman Bronze Works |
| Type | Statue |
| Material | Bronze Limestone |
| Height | 9.8 feet (3.0 m) |
| Completion date | 1925 |
| Dedicated date | June 12, 1926 |
| Dedicated to | Edgar Fahs Smith |
Edgar Fahs Smith is a
monumental statue located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The statue was designed by sculptor R. Tait McKenzie and honors its namesake, a former provost of the university
.
History
In 1992, the sculpture was surveyed as part of the Save Outdoor Sculpture! project.[4]
Design
The monument consists of a
academic cap. Smith's left foot rests on the head of a snake whose tail is curled around a leg of the chair.[4] According to a 2019 article in Penn Today, this figure represents "error" being destroyed by science.[7] On the back of the monument is inscribed the foundry marks and McKenzie's signature, while on the spine of the stack of books is the inscription: "A/TRIBUTE/OF/AFFECTION/FROM/JOHN C. BELL/CLASS/1884". On the front of the monument is the inscription: "EDGAR FAHS SMITH/PROVOST/1911 1920/TEACHER INVESTIGATOR FRIEND/BORN 1856 DIED 1928".[4]
The statue faces the Fisher Fine Arts Library,[8] near 34th Street.[1] It is located at the west end of Smith Walk,[8] so named because of the statue, while the east end of the walkway is marked by a war memorial.[9]
References
- ^ a b University of Pennsylvania Almanac 2015.
- ^ The Journal of the American Medical Association 1924, p. 898.
- ^ School and Society 1924, p. 252.
- ^ a b c d e f g Smithsonian Institution Research Information System.
- ^ a b Hassler 2001, p. 503.
- ^ Mercer 1944, p. 86.
- ^ Brockmeier 2019.
- ^ a b Dowlin 1940, p. 63.
- ^ Thomas & Brownlee 2000, p. 203.
Sources
- Brockmeier, Erica K. (August 30, 2019). "Stories of Penn scientists: Edgar Fahs Smith". Penn Today. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- Dowlin, Cornell M., ed. (1940). The University of Pennsylvania Today: Its Buildings, Departments, & Work. ISBN 978-1-5128-0147-7.
- Hassler, Donna J. (2001). "Robert Tait McKenzie (1867–1938)". In Tolles, Thayer (ed.). American Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 2: A Catalogue of Works by Artists Born between 1865 and 1885. ISBN 978-0-87099-923-9.
- "Medical News". .
- Mercer, E. LeRoy (February 1944). "R. Tait McKenzie - - 34 Years at the University of Pennsylvania". The Journal of Health and Physical Education. 15 (2). American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation: 58, 85–86. .
- "Educational Notes and News". School and Society. XIX (479): 252–256. March 1, 1924.
- "Edgar Fahs Smith, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Archivedfrom the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- Thomas, George E.; Brownlee, David B. (2000). Building America's First University: An Historical and Architectural Guide to the University of Pennsylvania. ISBN 978-0-8122-3515-9.
- "Discovering Outdoor Campus Sculptures of Penn People". University of Pennsylvania Almanac. 62 (10). October 20, 2015. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021.
External links
Media related to Statue of Edgar Fahs Smith at Wikimedia Commons
