Out In The Rain
J.L. Mott Iron Works
c. 1913
Tin, iron, and copper
This cast iron fountain is a replica of a sculpture by Philadelphia-based terra cotta company, Galloway & Graff. Its design was inspired by an Italian sculpture exhibited at the United States International Exhibition of 1876, which was the first official World’s Fair for the United States and was held in Philadelphia. “Out in the Rain” was cast by the J.L. Mott Iron Works foundry. Mott Iron Works was established in New York and also exhibited work at the Exhibition of 1876. The company displayed a large-scale, 25-foot cast iron fountain, which was designed and constructed by artisans who worked for the company. The company not only specialized in fountains, it also manufactured plumbing equipment. Marchel Duchamp’s “Fountain” (1917) uses a urinal that was taken from J.L. Mott’s showroom. “Out in the Rain” depicts a boy and a girl standing under an umbrella. Both children are barefoot and the boy wears no shirt and has his pants rolled to above the knee. The girl stands behind and wears a scarf, holding down the hem of her short-sleeved dress. Behind the children is a cattail, a wetlands grass with a recognizable flowering spike.
Historic Oakland Cemetery
248 Oakland Ave. SE
Atlanta, GA 30312