Landon-Era Birdbath (Indianapolis)
Encyclopedia
Birdbath, constructed of fieldstone and concrete, is an early 20th century decorative feature on the historic Oldfields
estate on the campus of the Indianapolis Museum of Art
(IMA), in Indianapolis
, Indiana. It is now an accessioned work of art in the collection of the IMA.
There is no drainage or circulation system built into the bath.
in the 1920s; the birdbath presumably predates the Olmsted landscape. The property and all sculptures on it were donated to the IMA by the family of former Oldfields owner Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., in 1967. In 2001 the outdoor sculptures were assessed, and eighteen selected pieces were accessioned into the IMA’s Lilly House collection. Birdbath was assigned Accession Number LH2001.233.
Nothing is known of its maker or origins. However, the materials are very similar to the original fountain base in the Formal Garden, which was constructed of similar fieldstone and concrete. (This can also be seen in historic photographs.) These may have been made from local materials, and perhaps they were built by the same person.
By 1990 the birdbath was moved for protection from traffic, as the canal path has become a utility road for IMA groundskeeping. The birdbath is now located near the path to the grounds barn.
Oldfields
Oldfields also known as Lilly House and Gardens, is a 26 acre historic estate and house museum on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The estate, an example of the American country house movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was...
estate on the campus of the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis Museum of Art
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum, which underwent a $74 million expansion in 2005, is located on a campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.The...
(IMA), in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana. It is now an accessioned work of art in the collection of the IMA.
Description
This birdbath is constructed of large, smooth stones laid in concentric, circular tiers, set in a thick concrete mortar. The large basin of the bath curves out from a more cylindrical pedestal that slopes out a bit toward the ground. The overall silhouette resembles a chalice. The basin is lined with a coating of concrete and has been re-lined at least once. The most recent layer is made from concrete with a larger aggregate than the finer concrete used throughout the birdbath.There is no drainage or circulation system built into the bath.
Historical information
The grounds of Oldfields were landscaped by Percival Gallagher of the Olmsted BrothersOlmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
in the 1920s; the birdbath presumably predates the Olmsted landscape. The property and all sculptures on it were donated to the IMA by the family of former Oldfields owner Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., in 1967. In 2001 the outdoor sculptures were assessed, and eighteen selected pieces were accessioned into the IMA’s Lilly House collection. Birdbath was assigned Accession Number LH2001.233.
Provenance
An undated Landon-era photograph (archived at the IMA) indicates that this birdbath has been on the Oldfields estate since the Landon era and possibly since before Gallagher’s landscaping.Nothing is known of its maker or origins. However, the materials are very similar to the original fountain base in the Formal Garden, which was constructed of similar fieldstone and concrete. (This can also be seen in historic photographs.) These may have been made from local materials, and perhaps they were built by the same person.
Location history
This birdbath has been on the Oldfields estate since the Landon era, when it was positioned in the middle of the scenic path along the property-bordering canal (as shown in an undated Landon-era photograph).By 1990 the birdbath was moved for protection from traffic, as the canal path has become a utility road for IMA groundskeeping. The birdbath is now located near the path to the grounds barn.