Young Boy Riding a Turtle, Patinated Bronze Fountain Head Sculpture, c. 1920

A delightful circa 1920 antique patinated cast bronze fountain head sculpture depicting a cherubic young boy riding a turtle, and more specifically, a Galápagos tortoise.

With a benevolent—yet somewhat inscrutable—expression on his face, our nicely sculpted boy sits bare-back astride his exuberant steed. A rope remnant around the tortoise’s neck suggests that while reins or a leash were once needed, they’re no longer necessary between friends out for a little stroll. “Look mother, no hands”, our boy mimes in a benedictional pose.

A thin copper tube in the tortoise’s mouth runs inside along the right and terminates at the back leg. There it could be discretely connected to a water fountain or water feature pump system, though we’re unable to tell if it ever did serve that purpose in the past.

However, we’re fairly certain that it spent time being appreciated indoors and within reach at the Sonoma, California estate it previously called home: There’s minor evidence of gently pinched cheeks, head pats, and carapace pets to the lovely bluish-green patinated finish. A sand-colored light dusting on the surface appears intentional, and gives the piece the handsome appearance of a recently unearthed or discovered bronze artifact. Fitting, as the tortoise was a fertility symbol in ancient Greek and Roman times, and an attribute of Aphrodite/Venus.

The whimsical motif of young or toddler-age boys atop turtles was a popular one during the Empire Revival-period of the late 19th century and very early 20th century in Europe, especially among a number of notable French and German sculptors. We believe this example to date from a bit later, and to be from the United States, based on technique, execution, and the nature of trends during that time.