Stanford's Angel of Grief Statue Vandalized

A century-old statue was vandalized at Stanford University earlier this month.

The school’s Department of Public Safety was notified on Aug. 11 that the Angel of Grief statue was found with the left forearm broken off, university officials said.

The vandalism occurred sometime between 6 p.m. on Aug. 8 and 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 11, university police said.

The value of the missing part is estimated to be between $15,000 and $20,000, according to university officials.

The sculpture is a popular landmark on the campus that was placed in 1901 and a replica of the original made by William Wetmore Story, university officials said.

Jane Stanford, who founded the school with her husband Leland Stanford, commissioned the sculpture in memory of her late brother, Henry Clay Lathrop, university officials said.

The white marble statue is located near the school’s Family Mausoleum, which is a popular campus destination for visitors, according to university officials.

Anyone with information on the vandalism or location of the statue’s missing piece is asked to call the Stanford police main line at (650) 723-9633 or dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.

--Bay City News Service, photo courtesy of Stanford