Heron, ca. 1920-30

The contemplative bird stands elegantly amidst lotus blossoms and lily pads—imagery that evokes both Egyptian Revival and Japanism. Symbol of regeneration, the heron was associated in Egyptian mythology with the rising sun and life renewal, standing away from the rising waters at the time of the Nile annual ground fertilizing inundation. This unique Heron sculpture held a special place in Marie Zimmerman’s work, as she retained it in her collection for her entire life alongside the “Egyptian” box, which now resides in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.