Rachel (Gerber) Explained

Rachel
Artist:Georgia Gerber
Type:Sculpture
Material:Bronze
Subject:Piggy bank
Metric Unit:cm
Imperial Unit:in
Condition:"Well maintained" (1995)
City:Seattle, Washington, United States
Coordinates:47.6086°N -122.3408°W
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13

Rachel, also known as Market Foundation Piggy Bank, Rachael the Pig, Rachel the Pig or Rachel the Piggy Bank,[1] [2] is an outdoor bronze sculpture of a piggy bank, designed by Georgia Gerber and located at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. It was dedicated on August 17, 1986, the market's 79th birthday,[3] and is maintained by the Pike Place Market Foundation.[1] Modeled after a pig (also named Rachel) that lived on Whidbey Island and was the 1985 Island County prize-winner. In 2006 Rachel received roughly $9,000 annually while in 2018, donations increased to $20,000.[4] The money is collected by the Market Foundation to fund the Market's social services.[5] [6]

Description

The Smithsonian Institution describes Rachel as a "life-size, realistic figure" of a sow piggy bank.[1] The Pike Place Market Foundation calls it the "mascot" of Pike Place Market.[2] The bronze sculpture depicts a pig with a money slot on the top of its head and measures approximately NaNinches and weighs 550lbs.[7]

Bronze footprints are on the sidewalk leading to the pig figure. One nearby plaque reads: "Market Foundation Piggy Bank. Made possible by a gift from Fratelli's Ice Cream, August 17, 1986". Another states that money deposited into the piggy bank benefits local human service organizations.

History

The sculpture was surveyed by the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program in April 1995 and was deemed "well maintained".[1]

On February 5, 2011, Rachel was struck by a taxicab and was knocked off its concrete base.[7] [8] The sculpture suffered cosmetic damage, including a 10inches crack along the left ear and a dent on its left side, and was repaired at Gerber's studio on Whidbey Island. Rachel returned to the Pike Place Market on March 18, 2011, after a tour of Seattle landmarks in a vintage farm truck.[9] [10]

Rachel was joined by a "cousin" named Billie, installed in July 2011 at the Western Avenue entrance to the market.[11]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rachel, (sculpture).. Smithsonian Institution. April 27, 2014. April 29, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429050240/http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siartinventories&uri=full=3100001~!336260~!0#focus. live.
  2. Web site: Rachel the Piggy Bank. Pike Place Market Foundation. April 28, 2014. April 29, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075718/http://www.pikeplacemarketfoundation.org/rachel/. live.
  3. News: Tarzan . Deloris . April 1, 1986 . This little piggy goes to the market: Foundation picks pig, artist for permanent market metal sculpture . F1 . The Seattle Times.
  4. Web site: Rachel the Pig pulls her weight at Pike Place Market. The Seattle Times. Berner. Alan. October 6, 2018. March 26, 2022. March 26, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220326171547/https://www.seattletimes.com/photo-video/wanderings-rachel-the-pig-brings-home-the-bacon-at-pike-place-market/. live.
  5. John Livingston, "Porcine Birthdays Reminiscent of Swine Times", Pike Place Market News, March 2006, p. 12 . Accessed 16 October 2008.
  6. Web site: Pike Place Market Foundation. pikeplacemarket.org. March 26, 2022. March 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331032541/https://www.pikeplacemarket.org/about-pike-place-market/pike-place-market-foundation/. live.
  7. News: O'Hagan . Maureen . February 6, 2011 . Rachel, Pike Place brass pig, survives crash—Rear-ended taxi careens into statue Rachel knocked off cement base . B2 . The Seattle Times . September 29, 2016 . October 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161011162138/http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/pig-vs-prius-and-the-winner-is/ . live .
  8. News: February 5, 2011 . Taxi crashes into Pike Place Market pig statue . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130204073145/http://www.king5.com/news/Taxi-crash-decks-Pike-Place-Market-pig-statue-115373199.html . February 4, 2013 . September 29, 2016.
  9. News: Frause . Sue . March 5, 2011 . Whidbey Island's Rachel the Pig ready to return to the Pike Place Market . . September 29, 2016 . October 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161011162239/http://blog.seattlepi.com/whidbey/2011/03/05/whidbey-islands-rachel-the-pig-ready-to-return-to-the-pike-place-market/ . live .
  10. News: Payne . Patti . March 17, 2011 . Rachel the pig returns to her market post . . September 29, 2016 . October 2, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161002080312/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2011/03/this-big-piggy-comes-home.html . live .
  11. Web site: July 25, 2011 . Celebrate as Rachel Turns 25 – Plus, Welcome Billie the Pig to Pike Place Market! . Downtown Seattle Association . September 29, 2016 . October 3, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161003092506/https://www.downtownseattle.com/2011/07/celebrate-as-rachel-turns-25-plus-welcome-billie-the-pig-to-pike-place-market/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rachel (Gerber)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.