Farewell to Orpheus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Farewell to Orpheus |
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The sculpture and fountain in 2015
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| Artist | Frederic Littman |
| Year | 1968–1973 |
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| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Eurydice |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| 45°30′45″N 122°41′05″W / 45.5124°N 122.6848°W | |
| Owner | Portland State University |
Farewell to Orpheus is a beautiful outdoor sculpture and fountain. It was created by Frederic Littman between 1968 and 1973. You can find it at the Portland State University campus in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. It's made of bronze and shows the character Eurydice from ancient Greek stories.
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About the Sculpture: Farewell to Orpheus
This special sculpture, Farewell to Orpheus, was made by Frederic Littman. He used to be an art professor at Portland State University (PSU). He finished the sculpture in 1968.
You can see it on Southwest Montgomery Street. This area is part of the South Park Blocks. The sculpture shows Eurydice, a famous character from old Greek myths. It was put in place between 1972 and 1973. This was part of a big project to improve the South Park Blocks area.
The Fountain's Story
The Farewell to Orpheus sculpture has always been surrounded by water. However, the fountain part was added later, in the 1990s. This fountain is special because it constantly reuses 227 gallons of water.
It is one of four fountains that PSU takes care of. The others are Walk of Heroines at Hoffman Hall, one in front of the Student Health and Counseling Building, and another at Urban Plaza.
Fixing the Fountain
Around 2009, the fountain stopped working for almost ten years. So, PSU teamed up with the City of Portland to fix it. The repairs cost about $6,000. Money for the repairs came partly from renting out spaces in the South Park Blocks.
Three employees from PSU did the repair work. They put in new fountain heads, lights, and wires. They also sealed the surfaces underwater. After the repairs, the fountain worked perfectly again.
A Place to Relax
Farewell to Orpheus is more than just a sculpture. It has been called a "seating refuge" for students. This means it's a nice, quiet spot where students can sit and relax. The sculpture is also included in popular walking tours of Portland. This helps visitors learn about the city's art and history.
