Due to a conservation grant award from the
Greater Hudson Heritage Network, last year we were able to do some work on the Neptune fountain in our Italian Garden. If you are unfamiliar with the fountain, it is the focal point for the our iconic Italian Garden. The sculpture is of Neptune with a sea creature and it is centrally placed on the edge of a large water feature. Neptune is holding a creature between his legs and left hand while his right hand is raised, clutching a club-like object with which he appears to be thrashing the creature between his legs. Seasonally, water spurts from the mouth of the creature into a basin below Neptune’s feet. Historically the basin was surrounded by three carved, oversized sea-shells on the water side but these shells have been removed from the fountain at some time in the past.
The conservation work mostly consisted of removing mineral and biological deposits that had built up on the statue - see the images below for the before and after shots.
A huge thanks goes out to the Greater Hudson Heritage Network for allowing us to help preserve the most prominent and probably recognizable of our statuary collection!
Historic View of the Fountain/Statue:
Before Treatment:
