''Otis Bowen'' is a
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
bust of Dr.
Otis Bowen, who was the
Governor of Indiana from 1973–1981 and
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1985–1989 under President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
.
Description
The
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
bust depicts former Governor Otis R. Bowen in glasses and wearing a jacket, shirt and tie. The bust sits atop a wooden base to which a plaque is attached that reads "OTIS R. BOWEN, M.D. / GOVERNOR / JANUARY 8, 1973 - JANUARY 12, 1981." The bust and base sit within an alcove on the second floor of the
Indiana Statehouse directly across the hall from the House of Representatives. A plaque attached to the wall under the alcove reads:
The back of the bust is signed by both Governor Bowen and artist Lou Ann Lanagan, and is dated 1981.
[Indiana State Museum. ''Bust of Otis Bowen'', ID 99.2006.020.0077. 11 May 2006. Retrieved from Indiana State Museum Mimsy Database 13 Dec. 2010.]
Historical information
In 1981, the original model of the bust was made in clay based on
Polaroid
Polaroid may refer to:
* Polaroid Corporation, an American company known for its instant film and cameras
* Polaroid camera, a brand of instant camera formerly produced by Polaroid Corporation
* Polaroid film, instant film, and photographs
* Polar ...
photographs taken of the governor by artist Lou Ann Lanagan, a personal friend of Bowen's. Lanagan chose to portray Bowen smiling to reflect his open personality.
Using the
lost-wax casting
Lost-wax casting (also called "investment casting", "precision casting", or ''cire perdue'' which has been adopted into English from the French, ) is the process by which a duplicate metal sculpture (often silver, gold, brass, or bronze) is ...
process, Lanagan created the final bust in bronze.
Three copies were made of the bust: one resides in the rotunda of the
Indiana Statehouse, one at the Otis R. Bowen Museum on the campus of
Bethel College, and another belongs to
Ball State University
Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis.
On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...
, where it stands in the Archives and Special Collections Research Center in
Bracken Library.
Artist
Sculptor Lou Ann Lanagan was not professionally trained as an artist, but became interested in sculpting after watching her dentist work with dental plaster. Lanagan commented to her dentist that the work looked like fun, so he challenged her to make the likeness of a human face out of clay. Starting with a bust of her husband, Lanagan soon moved on to produce busts of other prominent Indiana businessmen, including
Eli Lilly and Thomas H. Lake (President, Eli Lilly and Co.). Lanagan has stated that she prefers to sculpt men over the age of 50.
References
External links
Indiana Statehouse Tour Office
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, Otis, Bust of
1981 sculptures
Bronze sculptures in Indiana
Bowen, Otis
Indiana Statehouse Public Art Collection
Monuments and memorials in Indiana
Sculptures of men in Indiana