Friday, February 1, 2013

Figural Sculptures of Lincoln Park







When it comes to commemorative sculptures, figural has it's place firmly established. No amount of abstraction, symbolism or minimalism can bring out the beauty and accuracy of a detailed figural sculpture. It can capture essence of one's character in one simple pose and immortalize it for ages to come! Personally, I love figural sculptures!!!

While talking about figural, Lincoln Park has a fair share of these beautiful bronzes. The most famous is the "Abraham Lincoln Monument" by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, which has been designated the status of a Chicago Landmark. But there are many others which are absolutely beautiful. My personal favorite is the Shakespeare Monument.






Abraham Lincoln Monument
by  Augustus Saint-Gaudens [sculptor], Stanford White [architect]
Year Completed: 1887
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: December 12, 2001
Address: Lincoln Park at North Dearborn Parkway

 


 
Green Vardiman Black - by Frederick Cleveland Hibbard
Donated by the National Dental Association, in appreciation for Black's services to the profession.
Location: Lincoln Park,north of North Ave. at Astor Street.
For more,  click here..
 
 
 
 

Ulysses S. Grant Memorial - by Louis Rebisso
Installed: 1891
Location: It's in the east end of the Lincoln Park Zoo overlooking the Cannon Drive.
 
 Interestingly Grant statue is located in the heart of Lincoln Park, whereas Lincoln statue is  in the heart of Grant Park. Was there a  mistaken switch. Apparently NOT 
 
The city of Chicago's website explains it as thus .. It's a Chicago curiosity, but can easily be explained by knowing the history of Chicago's prominent lakefront parks. Lincoln Park was Chicago's first park, well established at the time of Grant's death. The mud-covered remains of the Great Chicago Fire would be developed as a series of formal gardens after the turn of the century and named for Grant, another honor for this great Civil War hero.

For more, click here..
For Lincoln Memorial in Grant Park, click here..
 



William Shakespeare - by William Ordway Partridge
Installed: 1894
Location: Lincoln Park: Grandmother's Garden..
 
Perhaps my favorite figural! The details are amazing. The cloths, the shoes, the posture. it's on beautiful sculpture!!! 
 
The base is inscribed Shakespeare's words from Hamlet, What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty!  On the opposite side is Samuel T. Coleridge's words.. He was not for an age but for all time, our myriad- minded Shakespeare....
 
For more, click here..
 
 
Benjamin Franklin Monument - by Richard Henry Park.
He made the sculpture for the 1893 World's Fair.
Installed in Lincoln Park: 1896..
Relocated: 1966
For more, click here..
 

 
Hans Cristian Andersen Monument - by  Johannes Sophus Gelert
Installed: 1896
Location: Stockton Drive
For more, click here..

 
 
Johanne Christoph Friedrich von Schiller - by Ernst Bildhauer Rau
Installed: 1886..
Location: Lincoln park - Formal Garden/Southern end of the Conservatory Garden
East of Stockton Dr at Webster Avenue
For more,  click here..
 



 
LaSalle Monument - by Count Jacques de La Laing
The statue is donated by Lambert Tree...
Installed: 1889
Location: 2045 N. Lincoln Park West..
For more,  click here..


 



 



 
 
 

 
 
Richard J. Oglesby - by Leonard Crunelle
Installed: 1919
Location: Lincoln Park, west of Cannon Drive and east of the north end of North pond..
For more, click here..

 
 
 
 
General Philip H. Sheridan  - by  Gutzon Borglum
Installed: 1923
Location: Lincoln Park, near Sheridan Road at Belmost Ave. and N. Lakeshore Drive.
Sheridian [1831-88] is portrayed here as a commander of Army of the Shenandoah on Oct 19, 1864.
For more,  click here..
 
 
INCOMPLETE!!!  But time sleep now!

1 comment:

Mumbles said...

I had no idea! Thank you for the lovely pictures and descriptions! It's a side of Chicago I'd never seen before.

Kris