How does Dr. Samuel Mitchel Smith and Sons Memorial Fountain elucidate its Description?
The bronze sculpture of Dr. Samuel Mitchel Smith (1816–1874) was sculpted in 1880 by Columbus artist William Walcutt. Smith was the Surgeon General of Ohio during the American Civil War (1862–64) and the 25th president of the Ohio State Medical Society (1869–70). He was also the first professor of psychiatry (or its equivalent) in the U.S., at Willoughby Medical College (later known as Starling Medical College; the present-day Ohio State University College of Medicine). Smith later served as a dean of the school, from 1849 to 1858, and again from 1860 to 1863.The statue measures approximately 6.5 x 2 x 2.5 ft and weighs 900 pounds. It rests on a granite base measuring approximately 8 x 5 x 5 ft and weighing 14 tons. His full-size figure is shown wearing a Prince Albert coat and with his hands folded behind his back. Two sides of the base display bronze oval cameos with profiles of the doctor's two deceased sons, Charles and Samuel. The left side depicts his son Charles who died the same year, 1874, at the age of 21, while the right depicts his son Samuel, who died in 1878 at the age of 30. The front of the base has a fountain, formerly operational. The fountain consists of an ornamental animal head spout and semi-octagonal basin. The fountain base was chosen as the family was impressed with drinking fountain statues they saw in Europe. Smith reportedly preferred the idea of a social, usable drinking fountain over a headstone in a cemetery. The statue's inscription reads "Memorial Fountain, to Dr. Samuel Mitchel Smith and His Sons, 1880."In 1994, the statue was valued by the city at $25,000, though its replacement cost would exceed that due to its almost seven-foot height and composition of solid bronze.
Prince Albert coat bronze bronze sculpture William Walcutt left Ohio State University College of Medicine