Omar Khayyam Bookends

Eberle, although highly praised for her sculptures of women as every day laborers, was often criticized for her depiction of male figures. Male laborers had little appeal to the public in the early 20th century. As such, the male figure is only found in Eberle's sculptures depicting mythical, ideal or exotic subjects, such as Omar Khayyam bookends. "One might conclude that society deemed it acceptable for women to depict males when the subject matter was literary or allegorical but that society regarded with considerably less favor male subjects related to everyday contemporary life." (L.R. Noun, Abastenia St. Leger Eberle: Sculptor (1878-1942), Des Moines, Iowa, 1970, p. 13)