Throughout the ages, stately sculpted lions have been part of the major portals and gateways of the world. Remembering this tradition with a touch of wit and whimsy, architect Charles W. Moore flanked the entrance of the Palmer Museum of Art by two monumental lion paws. Not only does this gesture recognize artistic convention but it also celebrates the tradition of Penn State's renowned mascot, the Nittany Lion, and the University's most prestigious senior honor society, Lion's Paw.
The sculpture is the design and creation of Pittsburgh sculptor Paul Bowden. Bowden studied at Carnegie Mellon University and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He also worked for a decade in Rome. Among his celebrated works is the statue of Pittsburgh Steeler great Joe Green located at Three Rivers Stadium.
Guarding the entrance to the Palmer Museum, Bowden's two huge lion paws are poised to pounce from their five-foot high plinths onto the museum's new piazza. Each bronze paw is more than three-and- a-half feet tall and five feet long. The sculptures are patinated to appear as if they have come to us from a previous millenium. Bowden created the paws in his Pittsburgh studio. They were cast in Baltimore, then shipped to University Park Campus where the artist personally supervised their installation.
Museum director, Dr. Kahren Jones Arbitman, has noted that the paws are a delightful combination of art, architecture, and apparently a new Penn State tradition. When the first paw sculpture was installed in July 1993, it drew a large crowd of students, faculty, and visitors. Immediately following its unveiling, a visitor grouped his family around the paw for a portrait. Within minutes, others began posing atop the paw.
from a brochure produced by the Penn State Department of Publications
