AT THE ALLEN / FALL 2024 / 7 2 3 4 6 1. Before coming to Oberlin, the dragon was part of the Olney Art Gallery which was founded as Cleveland’s first art museum in 1893. By bequeathing their large and diverse art collection to Oberlin College in 1904, Charles and Abigail Olney provided the basis of what would later become the Allen Memorial Art Museum in 1917. 2, 3, 4. For much of the 20th century, the dragon served as the centerpiece of a fountain located in the courtyard behind the museum. Decades of damage fromwater exposure and seasonal freezing led to severe cracks in the bronze, rusting of the interior iron armature, and staining from corrosion. 5. Prior to its recent restoration, the dragon was exhibited in the King Sculpture Court, often one of the first works visitors encountered in the museum. The mythical subject and dynamic sense of movement made it a highlight of the collection, particularly for young visitors. 6. Newly restored thanks to a grant from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the dragon can now be seen in its original seven-foot stature in the Stern Gallery.
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