In the midst of the trees on campus stand two intimidating creatures lurking. Two aggressive and tense looking panthers lock eyes as one guard its prey from the other. The muscles are represented realistically and dramatically throughout the shoulder, back and thighs. The heads are locked together in a chilling stare. The panther guards a deer while another panther approaches on a higher rock seeking the other panther’s prize. These animals appear to be on the verge of battle for the prey. This sculpture is called Panthers created by Christian Petersen in the 1920’s. This sculpture is representative of his early work in bronze and naturalistic scenes. During this time wildlife was described and represented as an exotic and misunderstood phenomenon.
