Solitary: definition~ “occurring singly and not as part of a group or cluster”.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Solitary, singular, alone, lone, special, sole, unique.
This sculpture of Rose McClendon stands alone proudly on the grounds of Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural commission for the Edgar Kaufmann family. She graces the garden near the walkway that joins the main house and guest house at Fallingwater.
Standing in a prayerful pose, she is startlingly beautiful, serene and reverent, as she tilts her head back toward Heaven.
Rose indeed was special and unique. She was ‘one of the most renowned African-American stage performers of her time’. * She starred in eleven Broadway productions.
Ethel Barrymore once said: “She can teach them all distinction.” Aside from stage work, Rose directed and produced, and was co-founder of the Negro People’s Theatre in Harlem, and supervised the Federal Negro Theatre. *
When we visited Fallingwater, I was mesmerized by Rose. It was raining lightly, so she had droplets cascading down her face. She looked as if she was crying in prayer, becoming more realistic than just a cast-stone sculpture. I was very moved by this lovely piece.
I hope you can also feel the emotion as you look at the photo.
Sculpture of Rose McClendon (1884-1936) by Richmond Barthe
*Taken from: Website about Fallingwater click here.
Thanks for coming to visit! I really appreciate it!
Judy
jayjaysfavorites 
Very nice interpretation and a beautiful picture too!
Thank you so much Meg! Just home from Italy 24 hours ago. I’m posting one photo in a bit. We had a marvelous time as you can imagine!!! I’m thoroughly stuffed with gelato and my fave Tiramisu!
Ah, she is indeed something very special. How moving in her simplicity.
Lovely way to say it: “how moving in her simplicity”. I like that! ….thanks Zelmare!
What a lovely sculpture, Judy. I can well imagine that with the rain droplets trickling down her face, you were very moved by her beauty.
Thank you AD. I do love the sculpture and her story. Thanks for visiting!
WOWZZ! 😀 😀 I love the new look of your blog! And and and … I love this post! 😆 I miss you Judy! It has been a while since I visited your page. Caught up in my own little world, I completely disappeared. 😦 But here I am and what a surprise! hehe Great job!! 🙂
Elyas I’ve missed you too. It happens to all of us…we get caught up in lots of things. Thanks for your compliments! We just got back from 2 weeks in Italy…so I’ve been absent. I’ll be posting pix from there soon if you’re interested! Thanks for coming by…I’ve missed you too, my friend.
I believe I’ve seen a picture of this somewhere in another lifetime but you are right, she is a vision.
You probably have! Hope you’re still hanging in there with me. I’ve been on a trip to Italy. Photos coming up soon…I’ll post one today! Thanks, Tess!
What an amazing woman. Rose and her legacy is truly an inspiration. What she gave the world, her talents and her generous heart is something we all can learn from. Her statue does look like she is praying and I won’t be surprise if she is praying for all of us. Beautiful post.
Thank you, Island Traveler! I love her story too. We just got back from Italy. I’ll be posting photos soon. In fact one will go up today! I hope you haven’t given up on me! 😉
Nice post Judy.
Thank you, Jim! Just back 24 hours from our trip. I must say a lot of my photos from Rome are awful! I kept thinking of your lovely ones. People people everywhere! Heads in every photo!! I have a couple inside the Vatican I like…but my lighting in St. Peter’s square was funky and I do need to go back. 2.5 days there is just not enough!! I loved the city, and what I saw of it.
Beautiful photo and the rain just enhances it. It is filled with such feeling. I love stumbling on artwork like this and then finding out more about that person.
Thank you, Sheila. I totally agree with you. I have to say this: On the flight home from Rome this Monday, we sat next to such a kind older gentleman…and he lives on the Cape! woo hoo! He lives in South Dennis! So we chatted about Brewster and Nickerson S.P., Chatham, etc… and I told him about you riding your bike along that long trail, with your gorgeous accompanying shots. He then expounded on that trail..how long it is and what views are good. It was fun to talk to him and I was sure your ears must have been burning! 😉
That’s so funny – what a small world! That is such a fun bike ride – you’ll have to come out here so we can do it! I always think of you and your photos now when I think of Michigan too. I missed your posts but I’m glad you were off having fun in Italy (and can’t wait to see those photos)!
I’d have to practice on my bike first! 😉 So good to hear from you!
It’s a beautiful sculpture and I can most definitely feel the emotion so well rendered on her face.
Thank you, Jocelyne! I just love that sculpture too. I, too, feel her emotion. Thanks! Italy photos coming soon!
Your blog has been quiet. Hope all is well for you 🙂
Judy, you are so sweet to care. All is well. We went on a trip to Italy and have just returned 24 hours ago. I don’t like to advertise that I’m gone, but I hate to just let my blogger friends “hang” until I get back, either. We had a wonderful time, and you’ll see some photos from there, starting today. (Oct. 17) Bless you, my northern friend. Hope you’ve had a colorful October!
We had a great autumn. I bet you had a fabulous trip 🙂
It was awesome…with some funny stories, of course! (like driving on the autostrada!) But I’m sure glad we came home when we did. The colors were at their peak…I ran around the yard and woods with my camera. Then the rain and winds hit and we’ve lost a lot of leaves. I’m so glad I went out when I did!