Brewer Fountain Facing the State House
Boston—The iconic, 22-foot tall Brewer Fountain on Boston Common, the oldest public sculpture in America’s oldest public park, is now illuminated year-round for the first time since it was installed in 1868.
The lighting redesign project, completed in October, was initiated and funded by the Friends of the Public Garden, in partnership with the Boston Parks & Recreation Department, and skillfully executed by Lux Lighting Design of Belmont.
The previous lighting, attached to four steel posts, did not illuminate the entire fountain, did not highlight the fine details of the sculpted figures and did not operate in the winter.
“The new lighting design for Brewer Fountain brings to life the extraordinary details of this multi-layered sculptural piece, and will provide a beacon of light and beauty year-round for this heavily-traveled area of the Common,” said Elizabeth Vizza, executive director of the nonprofit Friends organization.
“The project was aesthetically and technically challenging and enormously rewarding,” said Doreen Le May Madden, Lux Lighting Design owner and principal. “I’m honored to have played a role and to now have the fountain lit year-round for the first time in history.”
Le May Madden set three aesthetic goals for the project: illuminating the details of the sculpture, making the lighting fixtures as unobtrusive as possible and selecting the proper white light that would enhance the warmth of the bronze. “I’m pleased to say we were able to accomplish all three goals using LED lights that are brighter than the old lights, use 80 percent less electricity and highlight the fountain’s details much better,” she said.
