Golden Gate Park in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Pair of Sphinxes

ca. 1912

— Arthur Putnam (1873-1930) —

Pair of Sphinxes Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado

1. Pair of Sphinxes Marker

Inscription. Concrete
Museum collection
These sphinxes replaced the original pair commissioned from Arthur Putnam for the entrance to the Fine Arts Building of the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. The building's Egyptian Revival architecture reflected a fascination with ancient Egypt, inspired by archaeological discoveries such as the 1858 excavation of the Great Sphinx at Giza. The architecture also reinforced the perception of a continuous link between the cultural accomplishments of ancient Egyptian civilization and those of Europe and America. Although the Egyptian Revival building was demolished in 1929 and replaced by a succession of new museum structures, the sphinxes remain, marking the origins of the de Young museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 37° 46.296′ N, 122° 28.049′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. It is in Golden Gate Park. It is on Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive south of Bowl Drive, on the right when traveling south. The marker is in the lawn, next to one of the Sphinxes. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco CA 94118, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on California’s Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance

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of this marker: The Vintage Vase (Le Poème de la Vigne) (here, next to this marker); The California Academy of Sciences (within shouting distance of this marker); The California Midwinter International Exposition (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park (about 400 feet away); General Pershing Memorial (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named California Midwinter International Exposition (about 400 feet away); The Music Concourse (about 400 feet away); Japanese Tea Garden (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.

Also see . . . Golden Gate Park's Sphinxes. Western Neighborhoods Project website entry (Submitted on January 24, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, July 14, 2023

2. Pair of Sphinxes Marker

Pair of Sphinxes image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, July 14, 2023

3. Pair of Sphinxes

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, July 14, 2023

4. Sphinx

Arthur Putnam image. Click for full size.

Gabriel Moulin - Public Domain

5. Arthur Putnam

Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 508 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 15, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.