What happened to Venus de Milo?

An 8 ft. tall plaster copy of one of the world's most famous statues, the Venus de Milo, stood in the fronthall stairwell at HSP, home of the DMWC, Fifteenth and Woodland Ave. It had been purchased by the club's art committee from the 1895 Chicago World's Fair.

In the mid-40's during a redecoration of the club, members decided Venus must go. Some thought her old-fashioned, or overpowering or too conspicuous when the front door opened on her ageless glory.

The statue was given to the former Cummings Art School to be studied, sketched and loved by students until 1954, when the school closed and the late Mrs. Alice McKee Cumming, widow of Charles Cumming, founder of the school, moved to Arizona.

Venus then was hauled by truck to 4023 Cottage Grove, where Marjorie Wellborn Smith gave her an indoor home in her garage, then an outdoor niche formed by a chimney on the west side of the house.

In 1957, Mrs. Cumming, back for a visit, had Venus crated up again and shipped to CA to adorn the swimming pool at the home of a former Cummings Art School student, Verna Wells Huthsteiner, wife of a neurologist, Dr. George Huthsteiner.

Venus De Milo once more has moved. It now is the property of the San Fernando (CA) Art Center, gift of Mrs. Huthsteiner, who at length also found her over powering as a private possession.