Goliath Heron

Paul Manship, Angelo Colombo, Goliath Heron, 1932, gilded bronze on lapis lazuli base, 12 ⁵⁄₈ x 6 ⁵⁄₈ x 3 ³⁄₈ in. (32.1 x 16.7 x 8.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1965.16.9

Artwork Details

Title: Goliath Heron
Artists: Paul Manship
Angelo Colombo
Founder: Priessmann Bauer & Co.
Date: 1932
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Luce Foundation Center
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4th Floor
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48B
Dimensions: 12 ⁵⁄₈ x 6 ⁵⁄₈ x 3 ³⁄₈ in. (32.1 x 16.7 x 8.7 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of the artist
Mediums: bronze
lapis lazuli
Mediums Description: gilded bronze on lapis lazuli base
Classifications: Sculpture
Subjects: Animal — bird — heron
Object Number: 1965.16.9
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1965.16.9

Artwork Description

Paul Manship's large figural groups are idealized and refer to mythic characters and stories. The artist used the same stylization in his animal sculptures as in his figural groups, but to different effect. In an intimate scale, this stylization accentuates the decorative quality of each animal. By exaggerating certain features or expressions, Manship also lets a little bit of their personalities peek through. This is especially visible in his gilded works, where the gold patina highlights the contours of the animal's forms and their precise surface details. Many of Manship's animal sculptures were originally created as part of his design for the gates of New York's Bronx Zoo.