Artist Repairs Biltmore Statue

A sculpture that has graced the South Terrace at the Biltmore House for more than a century underwent surgery in June to replace an arm that originally went missing decades ago.

The statue was inspired by French artist Antoine Coyzevox’s sculpture, “Flore et L’amour” (Flora and Love), according to a Biltmore announcement. The sculpture is believed to have been installed at the Asheville estate around 1900, along with the other three sculptures on the South Terrace.

“The arm had been missing from the statue for decades, with the original no longer in Biltmore’s possession. Originally repaired in 2003 using a non-ceramic material, the resulting fix was challenging to maintain and eventually weathered,” said LeeAnn Donnelly, a senior public relations manager at Biltmore.

Asheville-based artist Alex Irvine “recreated the arm in his home studio using a fired ceramic which is expected to stand the test of time,” Donnelly said.

“Alex attached the new arm to a custom-made internal support system that extends into the hollow of the figure’s torso. He took great care to align the new arm with the original shoulder during the process,” said Karalyn Warren, one of Biltmore’s conservation specialists.

“We think this is a great example of the work we do to preserve the estate, and in this case, it’s a chance to collaborate with  the local arts community,” Donnelly said.