Waldine Amanda Tauch (Texas, 1892-1986), "The First Inhabitant", hand-hewn granite streetlamp sculpture, commissioned by the City of San Antonio circa 1914-15 for the Commerce Street Bridge, along with a fountain (still extant), and salvaged during demolition preparations for Hemisfair 1968

height 61 in. x width 12 in. x depth 12 in.

Condition: weathering commensurate with outdoor conditions for over 50 years; one old repaired crack to neck area

Provenance: Salvaged by present owner's grandfather, who was a San Antonio police officer directing traffic near Commerce St. bridge in 1968. He saw city workers demolish two of the 4 street lamp sculptures, and asked if he could purchase the remaining two. They obliged and delivered them to his ranch home, where they have remained since 1968.

Waldine Amanda Tauch was a Texas-born sculptor known for her naturalistic bronze works, including portraits, memorials, and public monuments. Demonstrating artistic talent from an early age, she began sculpting as a child and formally trained under Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini in San Antonio, who became a major influence on her classical style and career. Despite complex personal dynamics with Coppini, including his attempts to adopt and control her personal life, Tauch pursued her own path, eventually creating large-scale public sculptures such as the Indiana War Memorial and numerous Texas Centennial monuments. Throughout her life, she remained a vocal opponent of abstract art and actively promoted traditional sculpture through teaching, lecturing, and co-founding the Coppini Academy of Fine Arts. Celebrated for her contributions to Texas art, Tauch received numerous honors, including an honorary doctorate and recognition from the Texas Senate, and continued working well into her eighties.

61 x 12 x 12