About
Winged Caduceus, the angel of healing, crowned and with flowing hair, rises majestically from a broken sphere. A double serpent, reminiscent of the universal symbol of the medical arts, forms an open coil around her. Signs and symbols, some easily recognizable and some not, adorn both her as well as the sculpture’s base. For sculptor John Muir this sculpture was created in his quest for world peace. It is an example of what he calls “allegorical art”—art that is laden with symbolic meaning. It is a type of art that he hopes will bring focus to duty, honor, courage, justice, truth and the “ultimate triumph of the human spirit.”
In works such as Caduceus, sculptor John Muir uses elaborate construction techniques including building a complex network of trial armatures to test weight and stability as he develops the piece. This Caduceus, which stands 12 feet in height, is the first produced in an intended edition of twelve. A maquette version of Caduceus is also available in an edition of fifty.
Dimensions: 12′ x 9′
Year Completed: 1997
Material: Bronze
Owner: St. Louis University
