Sundial, (sculpture).

Sundial, (sculpture).

LeLand, Ernest S., designer.

Mitchell, S. A., assistant.

Presbrey-Leland Company, fabricator.

Sundial, (sculpture).

James H. Dooley Memorial Shaft/Sundial, (sculpture).

Dedicated summer 1930.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: Vermont granite, bronze; Base: Vermont granite.

Sculpture: approx. H. 20 ft.; Base: approx. Diam. 10 ft.

(On north face of bottom of shaft:) THIS SQUARE AND THE/BUILDINGS THEREON WERE/DEDICATED TO CHARITY/BY JAMES H. DOOLEY IN/MEMORY OF HIS FATHER/MAJOR JOHN DOOLEY OF/HIS MOTHER SARAH DOOLEY/OF HIS WIFE S M DOOLEY/AND OF HIMSELF. (On south face:) TO FIND EASTERN STANDARD TIME/TO THE TIME OBTAINED FROM THE SUN/DIAL ADD THE MINUTES BELOW WHEN/SIGN IS (+) AND SUBTRACT WHEN THE SIGN IS (-) (followed by three columns of dates and numbers) (On base:) THE BUILDINGS/PROVIDED UNDER THE WILL OF JAMES H./DOOLEY TO BE ERECTED ON THIS SQUARE/HAVE BEEN BY DECREE OF COURT LOCAT/ED AT HOLLYBROOK ON THE WASHINGTON/HIGHWAY ABOUT THREE MILES NORTH/OF RICHMOND THIS PARK IS MAINTAINED AS/A PERPETUAL MEMORIAL OF HIS CHA/RITABLE BEQUEST. unsigned

A columnar shaft of Vermont granite, octagonal in shape. The shaft is topped by a pyramidal pinnacle. Bas-reliefs on all four sides of the crosshead bear the arms of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, the arms of the Dooley family, the seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the seal of the City of Richmond. Four small gargoyles are found below the corners of the crosshead. The front face of the shaft is decorated with bronze gnomons creating a sundial. Eight bas-relief panels along the base of the shaft, one on each of the eight sides, represent the eight acts of Christian mercy. A bas-relief shield carved with the attributes of St. Joseph is on the front of the plinth. The shaft stands on a three-step granite base.

Homage -- Dooley, James H.

Homage -- Dooley, John

Homage -- Dooley, Sarah

Homage -- Dooley, S. M.

Emblem -- Coat of Arms

Religion -- Saint -- St. Joseph

Allegory -- Quality -- Charity

Outdoor Sculpture -- Virginia -- Richmond

Administered by Maymont Foundation, 1700 Hampton Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220

Located Hampton Street, 1600 block, Richmond, Virginia

The sundial was planned by the late James H. Dooley to commemorate a $3,000,000 gift made by him to the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph's Academy and Orphan Asylum. Cost of the sundial was $14,000. The sundial was modelled after the pillar cross sundial in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, England. The sundial was designed by LeLand. Mitchell, director of the University of Virginia's Leander McCormick Observatory, assisted with the astronomical calculations and the accurate placement of the gnomons on the sundial. IAS files contain copy of transcription of columns of dates/times to calculate Eastern Standard Time. IAS files contain copy of related excerpt from Charles M. Caravati's "Major Dooley", Richmond: 1978, pg. 64-65; and article from Richmond News-Leader, Feb. 14, 1930.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Virginia survey, 1995.

Caravati, Charles M., "Major Dooley", Richmond: 1978, pg. 64.

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

Control Number:

Horizon Information Portal 3.0

Powered by SirsiDynix

About | © 2020 Smithsonian | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact

SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System