Flight of Europa, (sculpture).

Flight of Europa, (sculpture).

Manship, Paul, 1885-1966, sculptor.

Sheets, Millard Owen, 1907-1989, designer.

Flight of Europa, (sculpture).

Europa and the Bull, (sculpture).

1925. Cast 1931. Copyrighted 1931. Reinstalled April 30, 1968.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze, gilded; Base: concrete; Fountain basin: concrete.

Overall approx. H. 15 ft. x W. 25 ft. (2,000 lbs.)

PAUL MANSHIP.SC.(copyright symbol).1931. signed

Life-size gilded bronze representation of the Greek myth of Europa and the bull. A full-length nude female rides on the back of a bull, facing backward. A cloth is draped over her legs. A small cherub, Eros, whispers in her proper left ear. The bull is flying, its legs extended in front and back. The bull is supported by dolphins. The sculpture stands on a concrete base in the center of a round concrete fountain.

Mythology -- Classical -- Europa

Mythology -- Classical -- Zeus

Animal -- Cattle

Animal -- Dolphin

Mythology -- Classical -- Eros

Outdoor Sculpture -- California -- Los Angeles

Home Savings of America, Sunset & Vine, Los Angeles, California

Formerly in the collection of Lane, Robert, Russellville, Arkansas 1963.

Horn, C. R., Russellville, Arkansas 1963.

Schnittman, Sasha, Little Rock, Arkansas 1950's - 1963.

Brooks, Paul, Little Rock, Arkansas 1947 - 1950's.

Hill, George Washington, New York 1931-1947.

The sculpture was originally commissioned by George Washington Hill in 1931 for a cost of $122,000. The sculpture was cast from a model sculpted in 1925. The sculpture was located on Hill's estate on the Hudson River in New York until 1946. In 1947 it was purchased by Paul Brooks and located at his home in Little Rock, AR. In the early 1950's it was purchased by sculptor Sasha Schnittman. In 1963 it was put up for auction, but was purchased by C.R. Horn and Robert Lane before the auction was held. Lane later bought out Horn's share. In 1963 the sculpture was purchased by Home Savings and Loan Association and placed in the fountain designed by Sheets at its current location. Conflicting sources claim that the sculpture was commissioned in 1937 by the World's Fair and was exhibited at the Fair in 1939 and 1940 after which it was sold and moved to Little Rock. However, Murtha and news articles state the sculpture was indeed cast for Hill in 1931.

IAS files contain copy of related excerpt from Edwin Murtha's "Paul Manship", New York: MacMillan, 1957, pg. 163-164. IAS files contain copies of related correspondence and memoranda concerning the installation at Home Savings, and their brochure "From Oranges to Oscars". IAS files contain copies of numerous articles from Arkansas Gazette, Jan. - April, 1963, and June 21, 1964; and Los Angeles Times, June 23, 1968. IAS files contain copy of related excerpt from script "To Hollywood, With Love".

Save Outdoor Sculpture, California survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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