Diana Fountain

The Diana Fountain is a bronze replica of the original 1912 lead sculpture Diana and the Loves, and are the only two casts of the piece. The Nichols Company commissioned New York artist Bernhard Zuckerman for the replica as the centerpiece of the grand entrance of the Alameda Plaza Hotel (now Intercontinental Hotel) for its opening in 1972. The eight-foot wide sculpture depicts the Roman goddess Diana resting on the ground, surrounded by cherubs as they pursue her with flowers. It is located in the center of a round reflection pool, backed by a 17 foot tall wall fountain.

The Diana Fountain is a bronze replica of the original lead sculpture Diana and the Loves created by Walter Gilbert, founder of Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire, England. The eight-foot wide sculpture depicts the Roman goddess Diana lying on the ground with her bow and arrows, surrounded by cherubs as they pursue her with flowers. As enthusiasts of European art, the Nichols Company commissioned New York artist Bernhard Zuckerman for the Diana replica as the centerpiece to a grand display at the entrance of the Alameda Plaza Hotel (now Intercontinental Hotel) when it opened in 1972. The bronze sits on a pedestal inside a round basin and backed by a large wall fountain, 17 feet tall and 56 feet wide, designed by Kansas City architecture firm Kivett & Myer. 

Diana was the goddess of wild animals and the hunt, often seen accompanied by her bow and arrow or deer. She was eternally young and beautiful and a defender of her virginity, later becoming known as a goddess of the moon, as the moon was a symbol of chastity. Despite this, she was also worshiped by women seeking to conceive. She was also the guardian of children and patron to the slaves, especially those seeking asylum. The Diana Fountain encapsulates her mythological image and is described by her creator Walter Gilbert as: 

"Diana, the virgin goddess, exhausted by the chase, has fallen behind the fir tree (the emblem of chastity) and is imploring the water spouting from the tree to hide her from the Loves pursuing her and pelting her with flowers."

Diana and the Loves was originally cast in 1912 for Moreton Hall in Warwickshire, England, the private residence of Charles Garland, son of the co-founder for the National City Bank in New York. It still rests at its original location, which is now the campus of Warwickshire College of Agriculture. These are the only two casts of the piece. Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire also created two other works of art seen on the plaza, the Fountain of Bacchus (also originally located on the Moreton estate) and Neptune Fountain. 

Medhurst, Phillip. Walter Gilbert, Internet Archive. September 9th 2012. Accessed December 9th 2021. https://archive.org/stream/Walter_Gilbert/Walter%20Gilbert_djvu.txt.

Diana (mythology), New World Encyclopedia. Accessed December 9th 2021. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/diana_(mythology).

History of Moreton Hall, Warwickshire College Group. Accessed December 9th 2021. https://wcg.ac.uk/page/761/history.

Kruse, Michael. I have shown three consecutive wall fountains, Facebook - Local Kansas City History Buffs Group. April 29th 2020. Accessed December 9th 2021. https://www.facebook.com/groups/126159798374/permalink/10157663976433375/.