One short look at the figure and you know where you are.
The official name of the sculpture is Apotheosis of St. Louis. Informally it’s “St. Louis on his Horse.” Or “The statue outside the Art Museum.”
The artist, Charles Henry Niehaus, was making a statement, not going for historical accuracy of detail. The very name “apotheosis” suggests it. Ascendance to the divine realm is not the sort of thing seen with the eyes. Rather, it’s an image reserved for the heart, soul, and imagination.
This is the second statue. The first, done in plaster, was displayed during the 1904 World’s Fair. The city movers and shakers liked it enough to commission it in bronze. But not from the original sculpture (his price was too high). This one was dedicated in 1906. The Gateway Arch may have replaced it as a city symbol, but it still earns high marks from the locals and many visitors.
Do you suppose Maylee and Dave visited this spot during their courtship? Read the beginning of their relationship in Stare Down.
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