Fantastic Yard Art

I’ve enjoyed passing this outdoor sculpture every time I’ve passed it, so I thought I’d share. Its on Military Road in Chevy Chase.

Joan of Arc, Meridian Hill Park

This statue stands at the top of the fountains at Meridian Hill Park and was created in 1922 by the sculptor Paul Dubois. The statue is a gift of the women of France to the women of the United States and is the only equestrian statue with a female subject in the city. It is a replica of a statue that stands on the grounds of Rheims Cathedral in France.

Remember Party Animals?

Does anyone remember the 2006 Party Animals? Well, if not, here’s your chance to see one. I found Dream 2 – God Bless the World by Normon Greene in the front yard of a home on 5th Street, SE, just north of Pennsylvania Ave.
I was also able to learn from kimberlyfaye, who provides the photo below, that it was originally located at the Barnes & Noble at 12th St., NW .

Monument to General McPherson

According to the Smithsonian Art Inventories Catalog, General McPherson was commander of the Army of the Tennessee and took part in General Sherman’s march to the sea during the Civil War. He later lost his life during the battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864.

Confederate cannons captured at Atlanta were used in the casting of the sculpture. This memorial was installed in Scott Square which was then renamed McPherson Square. Smithmeyer & Pelz designed the base. Westham Granite Works was responsible for the stone work. The sculpture was authorized by Congress on March 3, 1875 and was paid for by the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. The dedication took place on the 11th annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee.

Garden Art

This sculpture can be found on the north side of the 2000 block of Massachusetts Ave., NW. It reminds me of a lyre. It almost strikes me as being too nice to be outside, though.

Bearing Witness by Martin Puryear

With as much going on at or near the Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue this weekend, you may see this sculpture if you head that way. Its located in the plaza formed by the Post Office Department and the Ronald Reagan building.

Serenity in Meridian Hill Park

While I was tooling around 16th Street over the weekend, I decided to peek into Meridian Hill Park. If you are familiar with the park, you may also be familiar with the sculpture Serenity by Jose Clara.

The sculpture was erected as a gift to the American people from Charles Deering in memory of William Henry Scheutze. William Henry Scheutze (1853-1902), a naval officer who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1873, went on to serve as navigator on the U.S.S. Iowa during the Spanish American War and was active in the U.S. Naval White Squadron in Chicago. This memorial was funded privately by a classmate and friend from the U.S. Naval Academy, Charles Deering. An identical sculpture by the same sculptor is installed in Luxembourg and is known by its Spanish title, “Serenidad.”