Imagine a gazelle frozen mid-leap. The Gazelle Sculpture captures this very moment. It is a stunning piece of art.
The Gazelle Sculpture is more than just a pretty statue. It embodies speed and grace. Marshall Fredericks created the original Leaping Gazelle. He won a national competition in 1936 to design a fountain for the Levi L. Barbour Memorial. The memorial is located on Belle Isle. Belle Isle is an island park in Detroit.
Fredericks’ win launched his career. It made him a distinguished public sculptor. He described the gazelle as perfection. He saw it as the most beautiful animal. He admired its clean lines and herbivorous nature. The Gazelle Sculpture is one of Fredericks’ most duplicated works. You can find it in many places nationally and internationally.
The bronze Leaping Gazelle stands sixteen feet high. It sits on a granite pedestal in a fountain basin. Four smaller granite animals surround it. These animals are native to Belle Isle. They include an otter, grouse, hawk, and rabbit. Fredericks included them because the gazelle isn’t native to Michigan.
The Gazelle Sculpture’s design is clever. When pursued by a predator, a gazelle will quickly change direction. This is called wheeling. Fredericks captured this movement in his sculpture. He showed the beauty of nature. He showed the excitement of life and even death.
The fountain is aligned with the Conservatory’s central building. The fountain’s basins repeat the building’s circular shape. The rim of the lower basin has an inscription. It quotes Barbour. It says, “A continual hint to my fellow citizens to devote themselves to the benefit and pleasure of the public.”
Fredericks considered the Gazelle Sculpture a key piece. A bronze version marks his grave. He also described it as the epitome of art deco design. Next time you see a Gazelle Sculpture, remember its history. Remember Fredericks’ vision. It is more than just a sculpture. It is a symbol of beauty, speed, and the natural world.