Cyrus Dallin's iconic Sea Gull Monument, installed in 1913 at Temple Square, depicts a golden eagle with wings spread aloft a tall granite column, anchored by a dark bronze relief base showing figures in dramatic repose. The monumental work rises against the clear sky, its pale stone shaft contrasted by the gleaming gilt bird and shadowed sculptural elements below, creating a striking focal point within the urban plaza. Dallin's composition combines neoclassical restraint with expressive figurative drama, positioning the soaring bird as a symbol of divine protection and deliverance central to Mormon theology and Salt Lake City's founding narrative. Photo by Ben P L on Flickr/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)