Cast-zinc statue of kneeling girl. The statue depicts a young girl kneeling on small upholstered chair with her hands clasped in prayer. Probably a memorial statue, meant for the graveyard, statues such as this were mass-produced in the nineteenth century.
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The placement of statues in the garden dates to ancient times, but placing sculpture outdoors gained momentum in the Renaissance in Italy. This was due to increased interest in classical art and design. The avid collection of antiquities soon filled the houses with sculptures and by necessity they began to spill out into gardens. Since the Renaissance both antique and contemporary statues and sculptures have been an admired form of garden ornament. The use of statues in the garden has a much shorter history in America, and in the Victorian era, it reached its height. Sculptures could be made from a variety of materials and could be free standing or as part of fountain or birdbath. In large gardens, life-sized statues elevated on plinths brought grandeur to designs, while smaller scale designs were available for more moderate spaces.
