Chicago - Outdoor Sculptures: September 2007

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Chase Tower Plaza - IV

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Shot on Sep 5, 2007.

The Chase Plaza ... One beautiful Plaza, two levels deep ... with several stairways, a fountain and also the beautiful mosiac, "Four Seasons" by Marc Chagall.

Chase Plaza is one of the three major plazas between Clark and Dearborn ... The other two being Richard J. Daley Plaza .. and ... Chicago Federal Center.

Chase Tower Plaza III

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Shot on Sep 5, 2007.

The fountain in the plaza is formed by nine square tubes of water rising to varying heights [similar to the Sears Tower].

Chase Tower Plaza - II

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Shot on Sep 5, 2007

The "Chase Tower" building sweeps from a 200-foot wide base to 95 feet at the top. The east-west length is 300 feet.

"An unusual sensation can be experienced by placing a foot on one of the curving piers, then looking up to the top: this gives the illusion that it's possible to run up the building" I have never tried that... maybe next time.

I dont have much information about the clock ... but below it , on the plaque it's inscribed ... In grateful appreciation of dedicated and loyal employees who have fathfully served The First National Bank of Chicago and First Chicago Corporation since 1863. [ ~ A Robert Abboud, Chairman of the Board, 1979].

Reference: Chase Tower, click here ...

Four Seasons [Chase Tower Plaza -I]

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Shot on Sep 5, 2007.

Four Seasons ... by March Chagall...
This 70 feet long by 14 feet high by 10 feet wide mosaic is at the First National Plaza [at Dearborn and Monroe strees].

The colorful glass and stone used to construct it came from Italy, France, Norway, Belgium, and Israel. Chagall was present when the mosaic was dedicated on September 27, 1974.

Reference: Chagall: Four Seasons, click here ...

Fountain of the Great Lakes - Lorado Taft

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Shot on Sep 5, 2007.

Fountain of the Great Lakes by Lorado Taft ...
This is in the Art Institute of Chicago [south side]. It is bronze work of art created between 1907-1913.

Taft was an instructor at the School of the Art Institute for several years. The fountain is Taft's response to Daniel Burnham's complaint at the Columbian Exposition in 1893 that the sculptors charged with ornamenting the fairgrounds failed to produce anything that represented the great natural resources of the west, especially the Great Lakes. The fountain depicts five women arranged so that the water flows through them in the same way water passes through the Great Lakes.
'Superior' on high and 'Michigan' on the side both empty into the basin of 'Huron' who sends the stream to 'Erie' whence 'Ontario' receives it and looks wistfully after.

This garden surrounding the fountain was designed by the Office of Dan Kiley, who was a renowned late 20th Century landscape artist.

Reference: Fountain of the Great lakes, click here ...

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Buckingham Fountain

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Shot in July, 2007.

Edward H. Bennett designed the fountain to represent Lake Michigan with four sea horses, built by Marcel Loyau, to symbolize the four states that touch the lake: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Bennett attributed the design specifically to the influence of the Latona Basin in Louis XIV's gardens at Versailles.

The Fountain operates from mid April to mid October, depending on weather ... During this time the fountain runs from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily ... Every hour on the hour for 20 minutes the fountain produces a major water display and the center jet shoots 150 feet into the air. Beginning at dusk, every hour on the hour for 20 minutes the fountain's major water display is accompanied by a major light and music display. The final display of the evening begins at 10:00 p.m.

Kate Buckingham dedicated the structure to the people of Chicago in 1927 in memory of her late brother, Clarence.

For more information read here ... Buckingham Fountain, click here ...

Crane Girl, Fisher Boy, Dove Girl and Turtle Boy

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Shot in July, 2007.

Four figurines ... Crane Girl, Dove Girl, Fisher Boy, and Turtle Boy ... on the ground surrounding the Buckingham Fountain.
Leonard Crunelle (1872-1945) executed these bronze statues .

Eagle Fountain

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Shot on sep 5, 007.

Eagles by Frederick Hibbard (1931)
Bronze eagles set in fountains.

Monument With Standing Beast ... Jean Dubuffet

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The Flamingo

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Big Beaver Totem

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Shot on Jan 3, 2007.

This 65-foot-tall cedar totem pole was carved in 1982 by Norman Tait, a member of the Nishga Isimshian Native American tribe of the Pacific Northwest. The totem explains the ancestry of Tait's family, whose clan symbol is the beaver. Big Beaver was commissioned by the Field Museum to commemorate its Northwest Coast and Arctic People exhibits.

Reference ... Big Beaver Totem, click here ...