International House Fountain

Jon Magnus Jonson (1893–1947)

Commissioned 1931
Installed 1934

Bronze
Height: 46 in (116.8 cm)
Basin diameter: 58 in (147.3 cm)

Located in the International House Courtyard
(Requires student access to I-House to view)
1414 E. 59th Street

Donated by Carl Milles

Installed in 1934, the International House Fountain was the collaborative product of ideas of three exceptional American artists: the sculptor Jon Magnus Jonson, the landscape designer Beatrix Ferrand, and the architect Emery B. Jackson. Jonson drew his initial inspiration for the fountain design from a suggestion by Jackson to examine the Gothic Table Fountain drawing in the British Museum, which displays on its base various figures carrying weapons, a man carrying a drum, and shepherds. The drawing gave rise to the idea of having playful figures on the pedestal of the International House Fountain. Consistent with the mission of I-House, as it is commonly known on campus, those figures took the form of mythological characters from various parts of the world. The intention was to represent all the residents, rendering the theme of inclusion in an exotic and interesting way.

In 1932, John D. Rockefeller Jr. founded the International House at the University of Chicago to be the home for a diverse community of international students on campus. Art works highlight global understanding and cultural exchange in every corner of I-House, of which the fountain in the courtyard is an important example. Standing at 46 inches tall in the courtyard, the fountain is made up of a plain, cast bronze bowl and a bronze pedestal. It stands on a pool of turquoise tiles and a black granite octagon frame. The fountain, of course, is not a static artwork but an interactive sculpture that sticks out and sprinkles its water to greet and remind both residents and visitors of the changing seasons. That is when many residents enjoy the courtyard, studying or relaxing in the sun, listening to the sound of water dripping and commemorating the greatest values fostered by International House and guarded by its fountain: diversity and inclusion.

The figures on the base of the fountain were meant to be playful to match with the function of the site where it is set, the courtyard, a place where people meet and enjoy their time. Seven characters are depicted on the base of the fountain, including:

Pan, Greek god of nature and keeper of the flocks. Pan is depicted as a satyr—a half-man, half-goat being—which was common in Greek myths. He sits on the north side of the pedestal of the fountain happily sitting and eating grapes.

Nymphs, figures from Greek mythology seen in a running position on the fountain. Nymphs were female spirits who inhabited rivers, meadows, forests and mountains. They were often depicted running or frolicking in nature.

Triton, from Roman Mythology. He is the herald and trumpeter of Oceans and the god Neptune, and is seen in the figure of a merman floating under the sea and blowing his iconic conch shell.

Freyr, ruler of fertility, peace, rain, and sunshine in Norse Mythology, depicted riding on the boar Gullinbursti.

Elfs of early Teutonic myth, depicted here while crafting Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.

The Genie, a common character in Oriental legends, is seen on the east side of the base emerging from a pot, as opposed to the modernized lantern version.

Wee–folk found in Celtic and Gaelic folklore also appear on the fountain’s base. “Wee–folk” is an alternate name for the lesser faerie creatures that permeate many cultures’ folk traditions, and they can be both benevolent and darkly mischievous.

Notably, all the characters found on the fountain—with the exception of the Genie—originate from European mythologies, which may have been consistent with the majority of the student population at the time, whose international origins were more limited than they are today.

Written by Elizabeth Ghaly, a student in the Spring 2016 Public Sculpture class

Artist profile

Jon Magnus Jonson

(American, 1893–1947)

Biography

Jon Magnus Jonson was an American sculptor of Icelandic ancestry. He was born on December 18, 1893 near Upham, North Dakota to Icelandic immigrant parents, Stefan Jonson and Homfridur Hjaltalin. Early in his life Jonson showed a strong passion for the arts. He spent his school years in the city of Fargo and then at the Minneapolis school of Art. After he served in the army during World War I, he came to Chicago to work as an assistant at the Lorado Taft Midway Studios and to study under Albin Polasek at the School of the Art Institute.

Seeking more challenges in his field, Jonson travelled to New York, where he attended The Beaux–Arts Institute of Design. Upon his return to Chicago, the University of Chicago commissioned him to make some of his most prominent sculptural works, including the tympanium over the door of the Oriental Institute Museum and the International House Fountain.

In 1944, Jon joined the faculty at Cranbook Academy of Art in Bloomfield, Michigan, after being invited to teach sculpture there under noted Swedish sculptor Carl Milles. Jonson stayed in this position until his untimely death of a heart attack in 1947.

Over the course of his life, Jonson received several awards in recognition of his contributions to creative arts. These included the Tiffany Foundation Award in 1927, the garden sculpture prize at the Hoosier Salon in 1931, the prize of Merit for his marble sculpture Mother and child, in 1936, and the first sculpture prize given by the Indianapolis Art Association at the John Herron Art Institute in 1937.

According to his students in Cranbrook Academy, Jonson was a dedicated teacher who devoted all his time to his students and showed a passion for life, fullness, and seeking knowledge and perfection in his discipline. He carved most of his sculptures directly on the medium without previous designs or models, a rare feature borrowed from great old masters.

Written by Elizabeth Ghaly, a student in the Spring 2016 Public Sculpture class

Source: I-House archives

Sources

“Chicago’s International House.” The Hotel Monthly, December 1932

Tankard, Judith B. Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes. New York: Monacelli Press, 2009

Barr, Paul Everett. North Dakota Artist. North Dakota: University of North Dakota Library, 1954

International House Fountain

Jon Magnus Jonson (1893–1947)

Commissioned 1931
Installed 1934

Read more

Artist profile

Jon Magnus Jonson

Biography

Related Links

Archival Materials

Source: LUNA Library, UChicago Public Art Collection and Archive

Source: LUNA Library, UChicago Public Art Collection and Archive

Source: LUNA Library, UChicago Public Art Collection and Archive

Source: I-House archives

Sources

Further Reading

International House Fountain

Jon Magnus Jonson (1893–1947)

Commissioned 1931Installed 1934

Read more

Artist profile

Jon Magnus Jonson

Biography

Related Links

Archival Materials

Source: LUNA Library, UChicago Public Art Collection and Archive

Source: LUNA Library, UChicago Public Art Collection and Archive

Source: LUNA Library, UChicago Public Art Collection and Archive

Source: I-House archives

Sources

Further Reading

Commissioned 1931
Installed 1934