 Early view of Schenley Fountain |
 The Fountain and the Cathedral of Learning |
 View from the Frick Fine Arts Building |
Most first-time visitors to the Frick Fine Arts Building are impressed by the large fountain in front of the Main Entrance. Though the style of the fountain complements that of the building, the sculpture predates the building by almost 40 years. The fountain was built in commemoration of Mary Schenley, the sole heiress of two wealthy Pittsburgh families-the O'Haras and Croghans. She scandalized both American and English society by eloping at the age of 15 with an impoverished 43 year old captain of the British Army. Though she lived most of the rest of her life in England, Mary Schenley donated many properties to Pittsburgh charitable and civic organizations- most notably her gift of the 300 acre Schenley Park in 1889. In 1911, the City Council provided $10,000, to be matched by $50,000 in private donations to erect a memorial to Mrs. Schenley. A competition was held and judges unanimously chose the present design by Victor David Brenner. He was noted for his relief sculpture- he also designed the Lincoln head US penny which is still in use today.
The fountain, which was dedicated in 1918, contains two major figures, A recumbent Pan "represents the yearly regeneration of all plant life." Above him stands a singer playing a lyre. Four bronze turtles in recesses along the rim spew out water into the Basin below. On the pedestal is inscribed "A Song of Nature, Pan the Earth God Answers to the Harmony Magic Tones Sung to the Lyre by Sweet Harmony." The fountain is made of bronze and granite. Its basin is 15 feet high and the figures rise another 15 feet above it.
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