All this talk about cast shadows!

Posted by Robert Shure on

Well Punxsutawney Phil is at it again, and this year he didn't see his shadow for once! An early spring is upon us, which is exciting news. We may want to keep our coats by the door just in case, though, because you never know!

Whether you're looking forward to sunshine and barbecues, or still enjoying the skiing and hockey season, we thought you might enjoy some plaques depicting springtime merriment and beauty.  

Below is a piece we just added to our site, Awakening of Spring. A youth on the right, who we think may be the Greek god Pan, is playing two horns, ushering in the springtime. A putto (or cherub) dances on the left holding a garland. One detail we love about this piece is the pairs of butterflies at the top and bottom. Each butterfly mirrors the one next to it in profile, almost becoming a single butterfly.

photo with gray background of plaster cast of small relief with a dancing child and a young man playing two horns
5.375 Inches High x 5.375 Inches Wide x .375 Inches Deep

Pictured below is Dancing Spring, which depicts another celebratory scene of springtime, a joy for mortals and immortals alike! On the left is a putto shown in much the same stance as the putto mentioned above. On the right playing a lute is perhaps a goddess or personification of Spring.

photo with tan background of bronze-colored plaster cast relief sculpture of a child dancing and a female figure playing an instrument
6.75 Inches High x 6.75 Inches Wide x .625 Inches Deep

Another one of our favorites, pictured below, is Spring and Autumn. It shows the bounties of both seasons in the form of allegorical figures.

photo with black background of yellowed plaster cast relief sculpture of two robed female figures touching tree branches above their heads
9 Inches High x 6 Inches Wide
After Emmanuel Benner

And we would be remiss if we didn't mention Spring from Bertel Thorvaldsen's Four Seasons. Below we show the full-size plaque, though we also offer a reduction.

photo with black background of plaster cast relief sculpture of mostly nude female figure with two children and flowers and wreaths
30 Inches High x 30 Inches Wide
Also known as Childhood, this piece is part of the Four Seasons 30 inch diameter set. Eugène Plon described the scene as follows: "A young girl, nude, half seated upon a bank, takes flowers from a boy and weaves them into a garland. On her left, a tambourine leans against a basket covered with wreaths. A little child, entirely naked, stretches out his hand to offer a bouquet."
Artist: Bertel Thorvaldsen
Museum: Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen
Time Period: Neoclassical, 1836

We hope you enjoyed exploring some of our springtime offerings. For more, head over to our post about our collaboration with a local flower shop. It's an oldie but a goodie!

Warm regards,
Robert, Kathleen, Kayla, and Lisa


Please note: Sources used can be found on the corresponding product pages.

 

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