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Spirit of Spanish Music

Spirit of Spanish Music is a bronze sculpture by Burt William Johnson, commissioned by the Pomona College class of 1915 for Lebus Court in the Mabel Shaw Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College. Cast by the Gorham Company, the life-size figure stands about 137 cm (54 in.) high and shows a boy in classic contrapposto playing an elongated flute. The work was influenced by Desiderio da Settignano and reflects the Arcadian theme planned for Pomona’s south campus. It was exhibited before installation and was restored in 2015 after part of the fountain collapsed, including repair of the broken flute.

Spirit of Spanish Music, a bronze boy statue holding a long pipe-like instrument in a courtyard fountain.
Spirit of Spanish Music stands in a courtyard fountain, with an arcaded building and tree behind it.
© · Public domain
Spirit of Spanish Music bronze statue on a stone fountain basin before a building with pillars and archways.
Spirit of Spanish Music stands atop a fountain basin in a courtyard before a colonnaded building.
© · Public domain
The Spirit of Spanish Music sculpture shows a dark male figure wearing a head wreath and playing a long flute in a fountain basin.
The Spirit of Spanish Music stands in a circular fountain basin, with a building and several people visible in the background.
© Burt W. Johnson, sculptor; photographer unknown, c.1920 · Public domain
Spirit of Spanish Music bronze sculpture of a barefoot boy playing a long wind instrument on a fountain base
The Spirit of Spanish Music sculpture stands on a fountain base beside stone architecture and lawn.
© · Public domain
Spirit of Spanish Music bronze statue of a boy holding a long pipe, framed by foliage and a courtyard building.
Spirit of Spanish Music stands in a courtyard, with the bronze figure set against greenery and a classical building.
November 2016 © · Public domain

Identification

TitleThe Spirit of Spanish Music
Spanish titleEl espíritu de la música española
Alternative namesPastoral Flutist; Youth; El flautista pastoral
Typebronze sculpture

Creator

ArtistBurt William Johnson
Artist nationalityAmerican
Artist dates25 April 1890 – 27 March 1927

Historical context

Artistic influenceDesiderio da Settignano
Commission year1915
Commissioned byPomona College class of 1915

Iconography and meaning

Depicted figurea nude young boy flautist with a fig leaf covering the genitals
Poseclassic contrapposto stance
Action depictedplaying an elongated flute
ThemeArcadian pastoral theme
Name originThe name refers to the building's Spanish style and its use for the study and performance of music

Materials

Materialbronze
Bronze casterGorham Manufacturing Company, Providence, Rhode Island

Physical characteristics

Heightapproximately 137 cm (54 in.)
Scalelife-size

Location and ownership

Current locationLebus Court of the Mabel Shaw Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College, Claremont, California
Associated buildingMabel Shaw Bridges Hall of Music
Campus settingPomona College south campus
Setting designerMyron Hunt
Setting styleornamental Spanish style
Intended settingan Arcadian pastoral setting on Pomona College's south campus, surrounded by gardens and Spanish-style ornamentation

History and restoration

Placementset on a fountain
Pre-installation exhibitionshown at the Gorham Company gallery on Fifth Avenue in New York and at the Winter Exhibition at the National Academy of Design
Removed for repairearly 2015
Reason for removalpart of the fountain collapsed
Restorationrestored by conservator Donna Williams in 2015, including repair of the boy's broken flute
Return to site14 August 2015

Significance

Contemporary description (1921)described as 'happily eloquent of the spirit of the place'
Contemporary description (period journal)the pose was called 'exquisite' and the design 'peculiarly appropriate to the Spanish architecture of the beautiful temple of music it is to adorn'
2015 lecture interpretationGeorge Gorse described the setting as 'A Pastoral Theatre' and the sculpture as Vergilian 'Arcadia' and 'absolutely Vergilian'