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Art History Virtual Exhibition

The Republic Sports Sculpture, by Ralph Doss Lanning: Researched, Conserved, and Restored by Paul Rehagen

August, 2020 by Sarah Teel

The Republic Sports Sculpture was made by Ralph D. Lanning as a gift to the city of Republic, Missouri. Lanning, who was born in Greene County in 1916, was a prominent member of the community; he served in the United States Army in World War II, taking part in D-Day on Omaha Beach and in the Battle of the Bulge.  After the war, he worked in construction, and he started making art in 1973; as a self-taught artist, he made a large variety of sculptures to decorate his large yard, which he called Lanning Gardens.  Lanning Gardens was visible from the highway, and visitors often stopped by–and Ralph and his wife Gretchen would often meet the visitors to give them a personal tour.

One of the sculptures in Lanning Gardens was the Republic Sports Sculpture, clearly a tribute to Republic High School sports, as it features a large painted relief sculpture on top with the image of a tiger, the mascot of Republic High School.  On each side of the tiger are images of track and field and basketball, and around middle level of the sculpture are painted relief images of baseball, soccer, football, and a majorette. Around the bottom level on the back and sides are incised line drawings of children playing jacks, hockey, and hopscotch. After Lanning’s death in 2009, the sculpture was donated to the city of Republic in 2010, and it now sits on the grounds of Republic Parks and Recreation.

Before conservation:

Republic Sports Sculpture
By Ralph Doss Lanning
American Midwest Ozarks culture
2006
Stone, brick, concrete, and mortar, L. 1.52 m x W. 1.52 m x H. 1.03 m
Republic Missouri Parks and Recreation Grounds #1

 

 

 

 

 

After conservation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu

Filed Under: 2017 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts Tagged With: american midwest, american midwest ozarks culture, ozarks culture, ralph doss lanning

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  • 2014 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2015 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2016 Fall, ART 385: Art of the Americas
  • 2016 Spring, ART 386: Art of Africa
  • 2017 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2018 Fall, ART 385: Art of the Americas
  • 2018 Spring, ART 386: Art of Africa
  • 2019 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2020 Spring, ART 386: Art of Africa

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