Darlington Memorial Fountain: Nymph and Fawn, (sculpture).

Darlington Memorial Fountain: Nymph and Fawn, (sculpture).

Jennewein, C. Paul, 1890-1978, sculptor.

Kunst Foundry, founder.

Darlington Memorial Fountain: Nymph and Fawn, (sculpture).

Joseph Darlington Fountain, (sculpture).

Nymph and Fawn, (sculpture).

Darlington Fountain, (sculpture).

Commissioned 1920. 1920-1922. Installed Nov. 1923.

Digital Reference:

Figure: gilded bronze; Base: marble; Basin: marble.

Figure: approx. H. 5 x 3 x 3 ft.; Base: approx. H. 4 ft. x 3 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft.; Basin: approx. H. 1 1/3 ft. x Diam. 18 ft.

(On top of bronze base:) A. KUNST/BRONZE FOUNDRY N.Y. / C.P. JENNEWEIN/SC. 1922 (On side of bronze base:) C.P. JENNEWEIN/SC. 1922/(copyright symbol) (On side of marble base:) THIS MONUMENT/ HAS BEEN ERECTED BY/HIS FRIENDS WITH THE/SANCTION OF CONGRESS/IN MEMORY OF/JOSEPH JAMES DARLINGTON/1849-1920/COUNSELOR TEACHER/LOVER OF MANKIND signed Founder's mark appears.

A life-size figure of a nude female (nymph) and a fawn standing on an octagonal-shaped marble base in the center of a low circular fountain pool. The nymph carries a narrow strip of drapery across her arms and around her back. Originally, water poured into the fountain basin from four brass spouts located on the octagonal base. The fountain basin is lined with pebbles.

Mythology -- Classical -- Nymph

Figure female -- Nude

Homage -- Darlington, Joseph James

Occupation -- Law -- Lawyer

Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington

Administered by District of Columbia, Department of Administrative Services, Washington, District of Columbia

Located Judiciary Park, 5th & D Streets, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia

The nudity of the female figure was controversial when the sculpture was installed in 1923, but Jennewein defended his work, saying it was "direct from the hand of God instead of from the hands of a dressmaker," according to James Goode's book "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C." The fountain is dedicated to Joseph James Darlington (1849-1922), a leading Washington trial lawyer, whose office was on 5th Street, N.W. The fountain was erected by the Washington Bar Association at a cost of $9,173. An Act of Congress on March 3, 1923 (42 Stat.1444) authorized the erection on public grounds. Originally, the fountain was owned and maintained by the National Park Service, but on Feb. 6, 1970, ownership of both the fountain and Judiciary Park were transferred to the District of Columbia.

Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985.

Goode, James M., "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C., A Comprehensive Historical Guide," Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974, pg. 230.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1993.

Howarth, Shirley Reiff, "C. Paul Jennewein," Tampa, FL: Tampa Museum, 1980, pg. 83.

SOS Assessment Award, 1998.

Inventory staff, 2000, 2001.

Michael Richman, SAAM curatorial assistant, 1967-1969.

Goode, James M., "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C., A Comprehensive Historical Guide," Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974, F-9.

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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