Greg Gatwood and Judy Gittelsohn, residents of San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood, recently discovered a 150-pound limestone sculpture buried in their backyard. Gatwood encountered the object in May while performing yard work, initially mistaking it for a piece of concrete. Upon closer inspection with a pickaxe, he identified features resembling lips and a nose, realizing it was a statue.
The discovery has prompted a search for information regarding the sculpture's creator and its history. Gittelsohn, a professional artist, has researched the piece and theorizes it may date back to the 1930s, potentially linked to artists working under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The sculpture's material, limestone, is less expensive than marble or granite, supporting this theory, as artists from that era often worked with more accessible materials.
Their home's proximity to the former San Francisco Art Institute, where sculptor Ralph Stackpole taught, has also led Gittelsohn to consider a possible connection to Stackpole or his students. The approximately two-foot-wide sculpture weighs about 150 pounds.
Gatwood suggested the sculpture might have once served as garden art and was gradually buried over time, rather than intentionally hidden. Since the discovery gained local attention, several individuals have contacted the couple. One visitor, a 93-year-old woman, mentioned having previously organized an exhibition featuring the work of Ralph Stackpole.
In an effort to find more information and potentially identify the artist, the couple plans to exhibit the sculpture publicly at the American Messenger Gallery in September. They hope that public display will help someone recognize the piece or recall its origins.