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Couple stunned to dig up mysterious stone statue in their garden… now its incredible story has been revealed
A California couple were astonished to unearth a limestone bust while carrying out garden landscaping at their San Francisco home, sparking an investigation into its origins that has captivated art historians. Greg Gatwood struck the buried sculpture with a shovel in late May while levelling soil in the backyard, initially believing it was a fence post anchor before realising it was the carved face of a woman. His wife, Judy Gittelsohn, a painter, contacted around 50 scholars and experts, who concluded the piece was likely made in the 1930s by a student of Ralph Stackpole, a sculptor who taught at the San Francisco Art Institute.
The nearly two-foot-wide, 150-pound bust is believed to be linked to the Golden Gate International Exposition, a 1939 World's Fair held on Treasure Island, possibly originating from an area called the Court of Pacifica, which featured Stackpole's work. A local historian suggested possible creators among Stackpole's students, including Adaline Kent, Helen Phillips and Sargent Claude Johnson, though it remains unclear why the sculpture was buried rather than destroyed if unwanted. Experts say further analysis of the carving technique could help identify the artist definitively, and the discovery has renewed interest in the lesser-known students of Stackpole's era.
In short
- Couple find 1930s limestone bust buried in San Francisco garden.
- Likely linked to sculptor Ralph Stackpole's students and 1939 World's Fair.
- Origin and reason for burial remain unconfirmed despite expert investigation.
Explained simply
The bust is a carved limestone sculpture, a little under two feet wide and weighing about 150 pounds. It was found during garden work at a home in San Francisco, and its age and style suggest it may date from the 1930s.
Experts think it could be connected to the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, a world’s fair held on Treasure Island. The fair included a section called the Court of Pacifica, where sculptor Ralph Stackpole showed work; the bust may have been made by one of his students, among them Adaline Kent, Helen Phillips and Sargent Claude Johnson.
Its creator and its route into the garden remain uncertain. Identifying the artist could add to knowledge of Stackpole’s students and the art made for the fair, while the reason the bust was buried is still unknown.