A routine landscaping project in San Francisco has led to the unearthing of a carved limestone sculpture, prompting speculation about its potential link to the city's Art Deco era and artist Ralph Stackpole.
Greg Gatwood and Judy Gitelson were digging in their Russian Hill backyard in May when Gatwood's shovel struck an unusual object. The couple lives across the street from the former San Francisco Art Institute, a historic institution where Stackpole, a prominent artist in the 1920s and 1930s, taught for years.
Stackpole is known for his significant public works, including statues for the old San Francisco Stock Exchange and murals within Coit Tower. If the unearthed sculpture is confirmed to be an original work by him, its value could be substantial.
Gitelson, an artist herself, examined the piece and noted its style closely resembles the era and artistic milieu associated with Stackpole. "Ralph Stackpole was teaching at the Art Institute for 20 years, and his disciples created this similar look of the flattened nose and broad face," she told NBC News.
She described the sculpture as being carved from limestone, with a high level of craftsmanship. "It’s carved limestone, and the quality of the execution and the skill level is quite remarkable," Gitelson said. "A local sculptor said, ‘This is not a fly-by-night person digging at limestone. This is someone very sophisticated.’ So it was made well."
The couple theorizes the statue may have been a garden piece that was once displayed before falling and becoming overgrown. Despite the clues, including its proximity to the art institute and the distinctive artistic style, the identity of the sculptor and the precise origins of the piece remain unconfirmed.