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Nature (De Natuur)

Bart van Hove

About this artwork.

A sandstone female figure has been placed in a niche in the middle of the north facade of the former Physics Laboratory (now meeting and congress centre). Above her head is a canopy crowned by a slender pinnacle. The statue stands on an abundantly decorated pillar. The woman has classic facial features: a straight nose and wide open eyes. Her forehead is decorated with a diadem in the shape of a flower. In her right hand she's holding oakleaf. Her left hand supports a globe on which the continents, latitudes, meridians and the zodiac can be seen. There's a large owl sitting on the woman's right leg. 
 
All these attributes have a symbolic meaning. For example, the globe with the constellations refers to earthly and celestial forces, represented here by geography and astronomy. Furthermore, the owl is the personification of wisdom, while the oak leaf symbolises the forces of nature, among other things. Finally, the flower refers to the plant world. 
 
The statue is often referred to as Athena (goddess of wisdom), but other names are Nature or The Science of Natural Forces. Although the owl is normally the regular companion of Nature, the globe is not an attribute of the goddess of wisdom. The specific composition of the attributes on the image therefore refers to the various elements of the natural sciences.  So the image does not only personify “Nature”. 
The other two titles of the sculpture mentioned therefore seem to better represent the intention of the sculptor.
 
On the left-hand side of the octagonal pedestal, under the feet of the figure, the name of the sculptor, “Bart van Hove”, is engraved. However, in the book Images in the City of Groningen (Groningen, 1985) Emilius Bougonjon is mentioned as the creator of the statue, which is incorrect.

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Location.

Westersingel 34 (RuG)

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Facts & Figures.