Ellis Fountain, (sculpture).

Ellis Fountain, (sculpture).

Ingram, William, d. 1968, sculptor.

Lexington Granite Company, fabricator.

Ellis Fountain, (sculpture).

Digital Reference:

Fountain: bronze and red Wausau granite; Base: light gray Barre granite and red Wausau granite.

Overall: approx. H. 10 ft. x W. 7 ft.; Figures: approx. H. 3 ft.; Red granite fountain bowl: approx. H. 1 ft. 4 in. x Diam 3 ft.; Drinking fountains: approx. H. 2 ft. x Diam. 10 in.

(On bronze panel on front of base, raised lettering:) PRESENTED/BY/E. B. ELLIS/TO/CITY OF/LEXINGTON/AND/FAYETTE/COUNTY/.1921. (On rear of base:) "DESIGNED & BUILT BY THE LEXINGTON GRANITE COMPANY" (On front of base step, incised lettering:) A DRINK FOR OUR FRIEND unsigned Founder's mark appears.

A bronze fountain sculpture depicting three nude boys standing around a lamppost. The boys face toward the lamppost, resting their hands on one anothers shoulders. The boys symbolize youth. The lamppost is topped by a central globe encircled by four hanging globes with intricately patterned encasements. This fountain sculpture rests in a polished, red granite basin on a short pedestal. Beneath the red granite basin is an octagonal gray granite base with a circular bottom step. Four red granite drinking fountains are installed around the circular bottom step, and at the base of the circular bottom step is a small basin from which animals are encouraged to drink.

Allegory -- Life -- Youth

Outdoor Sculpture -- Kentucky -- Lexington

Administered by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Historic Preservation, 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507

Located Fayette County Courthouse, Main Street, center of sidewalk at front entrance, Lexington, Kentucky

The fountain cost $10,000 and was given to the City of Lexington and Fayette County by Major E. B. Ellis in 1921. E. B. Ellis donated the fountain because there was only one other public drinking fountain in downtown Lexington. The figures of the children were reported to have been modeled from photographs of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis' great-nephews and a cousin. IAS files contain articles from the Lexington Leader (Kentucky), June 15, 1921; and the Lexington Herald Newspaper, March 8, 1951 and Oct. 19, 1982.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Kentucky survey, 1994.

Lexington Herald Newspaper, Oct. 19, 1982.

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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