From our Inbox…

In this ongoing series, we answer visitors’ questions about Montalvo’s history and grounds!

Dear Montalvo,

During my visit last week, I was struck by the Italian-style satyr sculpture in the Love Temple of the Italianate garden. What does the sculpture signify, and why is it placed in the Love Temple? It’s so macabre.

Sincerely,
EK

Dear EK,

Thank you very much for your e-mail. You ask a good question!

The decorative motif of the fountain in the Love Temple once revolved around the Roman goddess Venus (hence its name): in the center of the fountain was a large marble statue of the goddess.

Four satyrs were positioned around the top basin of the fountain, and below in the fountain bed are the faces of the four winds who blew Venus to shore after her birth. You can see all of this in the photo to the left, taken in 1925.

At some point during the 1940s, the Venus statue was vandalized (as was much of the statuary on the grounds during that period) and removed. The satyrs were destroyed during the 1989 earthquake, and have subsequently been replaced with the versions that are on view today.

I do not know what the original satyrs looked like (this was before my time) but I have it on the authority of one of our former Board of Trustee presidents that the current statues wear more sinister-looking expressions than did the ones that were previously there.

I hope that you enjoyed your time at Montalvo!

If you have questions about Montalvo’s history or grounds, don’t hesitate to ask! Send your question in an e-mail to info [at] montalvoarts [dot] org, and we’ll be sure to give you an answer.