Father Junipero Serra, (sculpture).

Father Junipero Serra, (sculpture).

Palo-Kangas, Uno John, 1903-1958, sculptor. (copy after)

California Sculpture Center, founder.

Father Junipero Serra, (sculpture).

Brother Juniper, (sculpture).

1988. Dedicated Oct. 20, 1989.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze with patina; Base: concrete, polished black Andean granite.

Sculpture: approx. 9 ft. 4 in. x 4 ft. x 3 ft.; Base: approx. 51 x 68 x 51 in. (1,800 lbs.)

(On plaque on base:) FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA/1713-1784/FOUNDED NINE MISSIONS IN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING HIS LAST AND/MOST CHERISHED, MISSION SAN BUENAVENTURA, IN 1782./THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF SAN BUENAVENTURA GRATEFULLY RECOGNIZE/THE EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS OF COUNCILMAN RUSSELL BURNS (1918-1994)/AND MASTER CARVER WILBUR RUBOTTOM (1914-1993) TO REPLACE THE/DECAYING CONCRETE 1936 STATUE OF FATHER SERRA BY JOHN PALO-KANGAS/WITH THIS CHERISHED BRONZE COPY DEDICATED ON OCTOBER 20, 1989. unsigned

Full-length portrait of Father Junipero Serra. He wears a cleric's robe with cowl and rope belt around the waist. A rosary hangs from his belt at his proper left side. He holds a book in his proper left hand. In his proper right hand he holds a walking stick close to his torso. He wears sandals on his feet. His head is turned to the proper left. The bronze sculpture is patinaed and stands on a concrete base faced with polished black Andean granite.

Portrait male -- Serra, Junipero -- Full length

Dress -- Ecclesiastical

Occupation -- Religion -- Missionary

Occupation -- Religion -- Clergy

Ethnic -- Spanish

Outdoor Sculpture -- California -- Ventura

Administered by City of Ventura, Public Relations, 501 Poli, P. O. Box 99, Ventura, California 93002

Located City Hall, Town Square, Poli Street & California Street, Ventura, California

Nearby plaque: "Fra. Junipero Serra by John Palo-Kangas. November 27, 1936. San Buenaventura Historical Preservation Commission, landmark No. 3".

The sculpture was cast at the California Sculpture Center, part of the College of the Desert, by students at the college. The sculpture was cast from a wood copy carved in 1987 (see CA002077) of an original 1936 concrete sculpture by Palo-Kangas (see CA002076). The sculpture is sited at the location of the original 1936 sculpture which has been removed indoors. The replacement project cost $100,000. Funds were raised by the community to cover the costs. The sculpture was vandalized in Aug. 1991, and was cleaned and coated with acrylic coating. IAS files contain copies of related articles from Star Free Press, 1986-1992; Los Angeles Times, 1987, 1989; The Reporter, 1989; El Toro (City of San Buenaventura), 1989; The Tidings (Los Angeles), 1988; and Oxnard Press-Courier, 1988. IAS files contain copy of related City of San Buenaventura brochure "From Concrete to Bronze" (Information Agency, 1989).

Save Outdoor Sculpture, California survey, 1995.

Star-Free Press, Oct. 21, 1989.

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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