Persephone is an outdoor sculpture by artist Armand Toussaint

Armand Toussaint

Armand Toussaint , aka François Christoph Armand Toussaint, was a French sculptor born in Paris. He studied with David d'Angers and showed at the Salon starting in1836...

 created ca. 1840. The work sits within the center of a pool in Holcomb Gardens on the grounds of Butler University

Butler University

Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...

 in Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

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...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The sculpture depicts the Greek goddess Persephone

Persephone

In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....

. In 1993 the sculpture was examined by the Save Outdoor Sculpture!

Save Outdoor Sculpture!

Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....

 program produced by the Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

.

Description

Persephone depicts the Greek goddess Persephone standing on a limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 base in the center of a concrete

Concrete

Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...

 octagonal pool. The bronze female figure is draped from the waist down. Her left hand is raised and holds a lit torch of bundled twigs. An inscription on the statue base reads on the left statue base:

AD TOUSSAINT

SCULPTEUR

The right side of the base is inscribed:

GRAUX-MARLY

FABT DE BRONZES

The front of the base is inscribed just before a 1950 founders mark:

PERSEPHONE

IN ANCIENT GREEK MYTHOLO-

GY, SHE, AS THE DAUGHTER

OF ZEUS AND DEMETER, WAS

WORSHIPPED AS THE GODDESS

OF VEGETATION, RETURNING

EACH SPRING FROM THE REALM

OF HADES TO HERALD THE

SEASON OF GROWTH, AND IN

WINTER DISAPPEARING TO PASS

HER TIME, LIKE THE SEED,

UNDER THE EARTH. THE STATUE

WAS EXECUTED IN PARIS ABOUT

1840 BY ARMAND TOUSSAINT,

1806-1862. A GIFT OF JAMES

IRVING HOLCOMB

Acquisition

The sculpture was made in France and was originally located at the Swift estate in Chicago, Illinois. It was purchased by J. I. Holcomb in 1950 and installed at the gardens.

Creation

The piece, made in France, was created primarily crafted by sculptor Armand Toussaint and cast by Graux-Marly. Upon its placement at Holcomb Gardens, the landscapers were J.I. Holcomb and Arthur Lindberg.

Condition

In 1993 Persephone was surveyed for the Save Outdoor Sculpture!

Save Outdoor Sculpture!

Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....

 survey on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

. The condition of the sculpture, at that time, was described as "treatment needed."

Information

The sculpture of the Greek goddess is meant to represent Persephone coming back from the underworld every spring to make the flowers and plants bloom. In Fall 2011 a mural in the Johnson Room in Robertson Hall on the Butler campus was created. The 2,120 square-foot mural depicts notable landmarks at Butler, including Persephone.