Maecenas

This herma (not really a bust as you can often read, because it does not have shoulders and chest) of Maecenas is directly connected to Lady Gregory, who chose this location for the sculpture. The marble was brought to Coole from Italy (via ships and oxen drawn wagons) in early 19th century and placed in stables before a suitable display location could be found, then in Coole House bathroom. Lady Gregory "grew tired of him" in the house and let four men carry the enormous piece of artwork to the Walled Garden. He was placed first in the pet cemetary at the Northern wall, but later moved to his present location at the Eastern wall. Maecenas was a distinguished sponsor of arts, especially poetry, in Ancient Rome, so he offers himself as an analogy to Lady Augusta Gregory, "the mother of folklore" and one of the key founders of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Yet she would think of herself primarily as dramatist not art sponsor and the sculpture came to Coole long before she had married Lord Gregory or even had been born and could become either.