The Golden Eagle
by Ralph Hurst
17” x 13” x 8”
Mexican alabaster
Donated in 1997 by the artist
Artist's Statement
"I create art for beauty and pleasure," says Hurst. "I want my art to become a part of life, a domain of the common man, enriching, ennobling, and becoming a majestic presence. To be honored with the request to have my work represented in the Florida Department of State Art Collection offers another wonderful opportunity to make my art accessible to a wider range of people who visit the Capitol and who come from all walks of life. Sharing my creations allows me to realize the thrust of my creative artistic ambition."
Artist's Biography
Ralph Hurst maintains his sculpture atelier in Tallahassee. The majority of his works are carved from Italian alabaster, a delicate stone that lends a living translucency to Hursts' animals, birds, and figures. Following studies at Indiana University under such luminaries as Robert Laurent, Hurst received an MFA in 1952. A long and illustrious career has followed, with his works being exhibited in galleries and museums from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art to Palm Beach's Four Arts Museum. His art is included in many permanent personal and corporate collections and has been the subject of numerous one-man exhibitions.
