What do we discover when we look closely?
This question could be applied to almost anything, but it is particularly acute when thinking of familiar objects. One such is the fountain in Bradley Park, which stands quietly and coolly next to the green space, adding a calming visual element to the park that we are pleased to see as we walk by.
But stop and take the time to look closely and see what’s happening, like we did the other day. The Artemis Fountain, built in 1938, was moved to its current location several years ago as part of the renovation of Bradley Park.
It features several sculptures in the style of fountains from centuries past, such as the four faces of a stern-looking God of Time. Nearby are the Angels, which also recall the Baroque period but look exactly as one would expect as part of the stone family of Gods of Time.
Above them, a female figure holds up a basin from which water trickles into the basin below. The figures convey a sense of timelessness, of permanence; after all, this fountain is named after Artemis (or Diana), the Greek goddess of nature and the wilderness.
And everywhere you look, there are signs of Artemis’ kingdom: an overturned trumpet-shaped flower. A frog going for a swim. A bird drinking from the fountain on its way somewhere else.
All of this shows that a monument like this still welcomes life. And that the people who have seen it over the past 86 years have found much to marvel at if they stop for a minute or two and look closely.
