Shemanski Fountain
| Shemanski Fountain | |
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Shemanski Fountain in 2013
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 Shemanski Fountain
Location in Portland, Oregon
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| Artist | Carl L. Linde |
| Year | 1926 |
| Type | Fountain |
| Medium | Sandstone |
| Dimensions | Height: 144 in (3.7 m); Diameter: 224 in (5.7 m) |
| Location | Portland, Oregon |
| 45°31′02″N 122°40′56″W / 45.517282°N 122.682144°WCoordinates: 45°31′02″N 122°40′56″W / 45.517282°N 122.682144°W | |
| Owner | City of Portland |
| Rebecca at the Well | |
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| Rebecca at the Well | |
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Detail of Rebecca at the Well in 2008
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| Artist | Oliver Laurence Barrett |
| Year | 1928 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Rebecca |
| Dimensions | 42×18×14 in (107×46×36 cm) |
| Location | Portland, Oregon |
| Owner | City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council |
Shemanski Fountain, also known as Rebecca at the Well, is an outdoor fountain with a bronze sculpture, located in the South Park Blocks of downtown Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The sandstone fountain was designed in 1925, completed in 1926, and named after Joseph Shemanski, a Polish immigrant and businessman who gave it to the city. Carl L. Linde designed the trefoil, which features a statue designed by Oliver Laurence Barrett. The sculpture, which was added to the fountain in 1928, depicts the biblical personage Rebecca. Shemanski Fountain includes two drinking platforms with three basins each, with one platform intended for use by dogs.
The fountain underwent major renovations between 1987 and 1988 and in 2004. It has been vandalized on several occasions and has been used as a reference point for gatherings. It has also been included in public art guides and walking tours of Portland. According to "cultureNOW", the statue Rebecca at the Well is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council—the agency that maintains the sculpture. The fountain surrounding the statue, often considered part of the artwork, is maintained by the Portland Water Bureau with assistance from the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
Shemanski Fountain was designed by Carl L. Linde in 1925, and is located behind the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall between Main Street and Salmon Street in Shemanski Park, part of the South Park Blocks of downtown Portland, Oregon. It was gifted to Portland by Joseph Shemanski (1869–1951), a Polish immigrant who became a successful businessman after founding Eastern Outfitting Co., to "express in small measure gratitude" for what the city offered to him. The fountain is triangular and cast from Oregon sandstone. The Italianesque trefoil supports two drinking platforms with three basins each, with one platform intended for use by dogs. Inara Verzemnieks of The Oregonian described the fountain's lower water basins as "cute little bowl-sized pools at the base" for the purpose of serving pets "who did not have a place to cool off". Thayne Logan, a designer who worked for Linde, said that Shemanski "wanted something for the little animals". Logan also said that the fountain's original design called for granite, but it was constructed of cast stone because of that material's popularity at the time. According to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the fountain is 144 inches (3.7 m) high and has a diameter of 224 inches (5.7 m). An inscription around the top of the fountain reads: "To the People of / The City of Portland / By Joseph Shemanski". Other inscriptions include "O. Barrett SC '27 Cal. Br. Foundry, L.A" and a signed Founder's mark. The bottom of the fountain is decorated with busts of females. It is maintained by the Portland Water Bureau with assistance from the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
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Wikipedia