Rooster weathervane c. 1870

Editor: This is the Rooster weathervane, made around 1870. It’s a mixed-media sculpture, mostly metal, currently residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I find it so striking how weathered it looks! What's your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Oh, I adore this rooster! He’s so wonderfully…worn, isn’t he? A sentinel against the sky. When I look at it, I can almost hear the wind whistling around him, imagine him stubbornly pivoting in the face of storms for decades. The rooster, of course, has always been this potent symbol: vigilance, courage, even a dash of pride, strutting about. Do you think that plays into it? Editor: Absolutely. I imagine it's no accident they chose a rooster! It's seen so many sunrises! Does the patina say something too, beyond just age? Curator: The patina... it’s a layer of poetry, wouldn’t you say? It’s not just tarnish; it’s time, the slow, silent conversation between metal and atmosphere. This isn't a pristine gallery piece; it's a survivor, a testament. I love how it almost makes the metal seem… alive. Makes you wonder what he’s seen up there. What stories he could tell if he could cluck them out. Editor: I love that – the "layer of poetry." I hadn't considered that. So much history and resilience captured in one sculpture. Thanks for shedding light on its charm! Curator: My pleasure! And isn’t that what art's about – glimpsing stories where you thought there were none? Maybe next time you see one of these weathered fellows you'll remember our chat!