Maquette for Atoms fountain "Earth"
Waylande Gregory’s artistic beginnings were rooted in traditional monumental sculpture. He was one of a number of designers working for the Cowan Pottery, where he created sleek, Art Deco table sculpture. After Cowan closed, he went to the famed Cranbrook Academy, outside of Detroit, where he had a studio and taught. His Cranbrook stay was cut short when the school temporarily closed due to the effects of the Great Depression. Following that, he moved to New Jersey where he set up his own ceramic studio in Metuchen. He became known for his large-scale monumental sculpture. Two of Gregory’s most successful sculptural commissions in the 1930s were his Light Dispelling Darkness, a memorial to Thomas Edison, and the Fountain of the Atom, made for the 1938 New York World’s Fair. This work is one of the small-scale modellos Gregory made while working out his large-scale sculptures. Here, a bare-chested woman sits against a crystalline structure, and represents Earth, one of the four elements represented in the final work.
Artwork Details
- Title: Maquette for Atoms fountain "Earth"
- Maker: Waylande Gregory (American, Baxter Springs, Kansas 1905–1971 Warren Township, New Jersey)
- Date: ca. 1939
- Geography: Made in Metuchen, New Jersey, United States
- Culture: American
- Medium: Stoneware
- Dimensions: H. 9 in.
- Credit Line: Gift of Martin Eidelberg, 2020
- Object Number: 2020.64.24
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Waylande Gregory
ca. 1930–40
Waylande Gregory
ca. 1930
Waylande Gregory
ca. 1930
Waylande Gregory
ca. 1930
Waylande Gregory
ca. 1930
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.