Augustin Pajou Sculpture

The late 18th century stone carving by the French Royal sculptor, Augustin Pajou, was moved by us to a a new home in the Tea House at Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate, in Tarrytown, New York. The carving had been located at the mid-point of the rampe douce, west of the main house, since it was placed there in the 1980’s. To protect it from the elements, the Curator wished to move it indoors, close to its original site at the Tea House. Working with the curatorial staff and a team of riggers, the fragile stone work was crated in place, carefully rotated to horizontal, and transported across several rough and finished landscapes, through a partially disassembled fence, up a set of steps, and into the house. The work was accomplished with a combination of modern machinery and ancient levers and pulleys, and required two days with a team of skilled riggers. No damage occurred to the delicate carvings. Other work, including careful cleaning and small repairs, occured during a second mobilization.