Fabulous fountain needs a home

Harrogate based master sculptor John Schofield dedicated 18 months of his life to designing, importing the marble and hand-carving his magnificent Neptune Fountain which now needs to find a permanent home to make room for new projects.

Weighing two tons and standing 1.63m (5’8”) high the intricately carved masterpiece is clearly not going to fit in the average backyard, so a very particular customer needs to be found for the piece to be displayed to its full potential.  Formed in three sections it is designed to be raised against a vertical structure or wall in a ground level or sunken water pool.

Carved in white Carrara marble from Italy, John has designed the Neptune Fountain in a Roman Baroque style.  It is complete with fitted 316 grade stainless steel piping, water jet and high pressure underwater pump.  Primarily designed for an interior setting such as a swimming pool, luxury hotel, leisure complex or stately home, it is also suitable for an exterior setting where the main body of the sculpture is protected by some form of overhead canopy.

Since his first carving at the age of 9, John Schofield has had a long and distinguished career in carving, sculpture and memorial work, as both a creative artist and in restoration work. His impressive commissions portfolio include work for members of the Royal family, the Royal Opera House, the Emir of Qatar, York Minster, Selby Abbey, Newby Hall, Castle Howard, Ribston Hall and Ledstone Hall as well as undertaking private memorials work.  He also teaches the techniques of relief carving, sculpture and fine art lettering.

Taught many carving techniques by an Italian master carver and always inspired by the art and statuary of the Tuscan cities, John prefers works which have some sort of functional form rather than the purely aesthetic form of nudes and other statuary, and so the idea of the Neptune Fountain was conceived.  He inspected and selected the requisite marble, costing £10,000, in Tuscany and then began the difficult undertaking of transporting the stone back to England.

The Neptune Fountain depicts John’s interpretation of the Roman God of the Sea, part human, part sea lion with consch shells for ears and sea snakes for mane.  The head provides a flow of water which fills a giant clam shell with detailed crabs and oyster shells surrounding its plinth base.

Described by the Duke of Devonshire as “magnificent” and winning praise from Lucinda Compton of Newby Hall and Alan Titchmarsh, the finished sculpture valued at £58,000 is likely to attract celebrity interest both at home and abroad.

John welcomes anyone to view the Neptune Fountain while it still resides in his Harrogate workshop behind Park Parade.  Not yet exhibited anywhere, he is seeking an agent to help find the piece a new home.  He can be contacted on 01423 506636 or by email on john@johnschofield.plus.com