About this object

The Showalter Fountain is located near the Auditorium and Woodburn Hall. It was desgined by an IU professor, Robert Laurent and was brought to campus in 1958. When it was first brought to campus, there was a bit of controversy regarding the nudity of the scultped woman. The scultpure is of the ‘Birth of Venus,’ in which the Roman goddess is emerging from the water, surrounded by fish. The fountain is named after Grace Showalter, whom it was dedicated to on October 22, 1961.