[V]ermont officials have approved a final design for a statue that will replace one that has stood atop the golden dome of the Statehouse for more than 150 years.
The statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, was removed in April after workers discovered that the wooden figure was rotting, Jack Zeilenga of the state curator’s office said.
The original piece, which depicted a woman holding wheat and a scroll, was created in 1859 by sculptor Larkin Mead and replaced in 1938 when it also was determined to be breaking down.
Work on the new statue, part of a $2 million restoration project at the capitol building, is being handled by two sculptors.
Jerry Williams of Barre is relying on old photos and drawings from Mead to produce a model for the new design.
Once this is completed, Chris Miller of Calais will carve the 14-foot-high figure out of mahogany.
The project is expected to be completed by October.
