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Creature Pond, 1982
Lowry Burgess, Donald Burgy, John Cataldo, Carlos Dorrien, Robert Guillemin, David Phillips, Sydney Roberts Rockefeller, William H. Wainwright, Clara Wainwright
Bronze on granite base
Post Office Sq. Park, at Congress St. and Milk St.
Lowry Burgess, Donald Burgy, John Cataldo, Carlos Dorrien, Robert Guillemin, David Phillips, Sydney Roberts Rockefeller, William H. Wainwright, Clara Wainwright
Bronze on granite base
Post Office Sq. Park, at Congress St. and Milk St.
Become a part of Boston history!
In 1987, the Boston Art Commission initiated a historic campaign to restore and maintain valuable monuments that convey the rich heritage of both the city of Boston and the nation. To date, this unique public/private partnership has raised restoration funds and permanent maintenance endowments for treasured works of public art throughout the city.
Leif Eriksson, by Anne Whitney (1821-1915); 1887; bronze, red sandstone and granite.
This bronze statue on the Commonwealth Mall was created by the Boston sculptor Anne Whitney and erected in 1887 to commemorate the Norse explorer believed to be the first European to set foot on North America. A century later, Leif Eriksson was adopted by the Norsemen Memorial Committee, whose donation set up a maintenance endowment to provide for cleaning and treatment of the work in perpetuity. In the summer of 2007, the statue received specialized treatment that targeted patches of green copper corrosion which covered its surface and threatened allover pitting, or small corrosive holes, and other such structural deterioration. The statue was thoroughly washed and rinsed, then carefully spot-treated in areas with the green corrosive damage. Finally, the entire piece received multiple coats of Incralac acrylic coating (which absorbs ultra-violet light), followed by an overall waxing and buffing.
Detail of the Leif Eriksson statue, showing patina before treatment.
Detail of Leif Eriksson post-treatment, showing the restored bronze surface.
The Boston Art Commission wishes to thank the supporters for their generous partnership in our commitment to preserving public art throughout the City of Boston: