Anyone who has visited the Memorial Union this year has no doubt noticed that something is missing from the fountain outside.

The “Fountain of Four Seasons” sculpture is one in a list of several of Iowa State’s outdoor sculptures to be conserved with money from fund-raising efforts, said Director of University Museums Lynette Pohlman.

Created by Christian Peterson, a resident sculptor at ISU from 1934-1955, the “Fountain of the Four Seasons” has suffered much wear over the years due to the Iowa weather, she said.

“The sculpture had rust stains, one of the maidens had a crack in her neck, and there was a build up of an eighth of an inch of salt on the maidens, making it hard to see the details,” she said.

The sculptures on campus are being restored by one of the best conservationists in the country, said Pat Bliss, author of the book “Christian Peterson Remembered.”

“The sculptor, Linda Merk-Gould, restored the Statue of Freedom in Washington D.C. and will be visiting Brunnier Gallery on May 1 to talk about maintaining outdoor sculptures,” she said.

The fully conserved “Fountain of Four Seasons” is expected to be returned late this summer or early next fall, Pohlman said.

Several of Peterson’s other sculptures are in line to be conserved in the future. They are the “Reclining Nudes Mural and Fountain” outside of Roberts Hall, the “Three Athletes” at State Gym, and one panel of the “Dairy Industry Mural” in the Dairy Industry Building. Some of his sculptures have already been preserved.

“Peterson’s sculptures are deserving of recognition and preservation for future generations of Iowa State students and alumni,” Bliss said.

During his 20 years at Iowa State, Peterson produced 38 pieces of art, 12 of which are major public works, Pohlman said.

“It is unprecedented in the United States that one artist stayed in one place for so long and produced so many major works,” she said.

All of Peterson’s works are symbolic of the college he created them for. He took “the mission of the college and produced that in his art,” Pohlman said.

“The Wedding Ring,” a statue produced for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, symbolizes marriage, and the children on the ring are the jewels of the marriage. The sculpture sits in front of MacKay Hall. At that time those were both appropriate goals of women in college, she said.

The four Indian maidens of the “Fountain of Four Seasons” represent the seasons and the four years of college, and are symbolic of agriculture and Iowa’s Native American heritage, she added.

Pohlman said it was very unique to have Peterson here because at that time he was the only sculptor in residence at any college in the country.

“The outdoor museum of art at Iowa State is an outstanding collection of historical and contemporary sculptures which are unique among land grant universities,” Bliss said.