Whats It Like to Work at the Art Institute of Chicago

From the Picasso to the Bean to countless city murals, public fine art is a vibrant part of Chicago culture.

But for over a century, Chicagoans have taken special pride in a pair of sculptures watching over Michigan Avenue.

Geoffrey Baer tells us more than about the Art Institute of Chicago'south lions.

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What's the history of the lions outside of the Art Constitute?

– Marianne Morrison, La Porte, Indiana

Similar then many things in Chicago, the history of the lions can be traced back to the 1893 Globe'south Columbian Exposition – as well known as the Globe's Fair.

The original section of the Art Found building, which the Lions guard, was itself built for the Globe's Off-white. Information technology was the only structure to be constructed outside of Jackson Park and one of just a few that wasn't destroyed when the fair ended.

The building opened in 1893. But for almost a yr, its front doors were left unguarded! The lions weren't installed until May of 1894, designed by sculptor and then-Chicagoan Edward Kemeys.

Early on days at the Art Institute of Chicago (Courtesy Chicago History Museum)

Past the belatedly 1800s, Kemeys was the country'south premier "animalier" – a fancy French word that just means sculptor of animals.

Similar many American artists of the time, Kemeys was drawn to scenes of raw and unfiltered nature. The Art Establish actually hosted an exhibition of his work in 1885 at its previous location, a few blocks south at Michigan and Van Buren in what is now the Chicago Club.

Kemeys concluded upwardly contributing a dozen sculptures to the Globe's Off-white in 1893 – more than any other American. Like much of the exposition's "White City," they were made of plaster, not made to last. That included ii lions, likewise equally two other sculptures Chicagoans may recognize: the two bison which today stand in Humboldt Park, only due north of Partitioning Street.

Merely of course, it's the lions that became Kemeys' nearly visible piece of work, seen past millions of people every year. When the World's Fair ended, Florence Lathrop Page – an early on benefactor of the Fine art Institute and sister-in-law of Marshall Field – deputed and paid for Kemeys' designs to be cast in bronze.

Each weights over 2 tons. And if you lot look closely, you'll realize that they are not actually identical twins.

The north lion, left, and southward lion at the Fine art Institute of Chicago. (Credit: Kim Scarborough / Wikimedia Commons; Heather Paul / Flickr)

Kemeys wanted them to have their own personality and manner. He styled the northern lion to exist "on the prowl," with its rima oris slightly ajar and its eyes gazing in the distance.

Contrast that with the courage – or mayhap even hubris – of the southern lion, which is modeled "in an attitude of disobedience." You can see that coming through in its body language – detect the upturned, imperial caput.

Over the years, the lions have become more than than merely statues – they're almost mascots for the city.

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  (Courtesy Chicago History Museum)

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  Edward Kemeys

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  (Courtesy the Fine art Institute of Chicago)

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  (Courtesy Chicago History Museum)

Since their early days, the sort of "stoic realism" Kemeys was going for in his design has been greeted with a certain playfulness – like on the encompass of this 1928 issue of The Chicagoan magazine.

More than recently, the Lions have become diehard Chicago sports fans! Whenever a local team has a strong postseason run they'll don hats for the Cubs or Sox, or helmets for the Bears and Blackhawks.

There's besides the almanac "wreathing of the lions," in which they are decked out in wreaths and bows for the holidays during an almanac ceremony and functioning of some kind.

Today, the Lions even take a Twitter business relationship! They postal service semi-regularly, mostly well-nigh local sports and other bits of local culture – like the only proper way to make a Chicago hot dog.

(Courtesy the Art Institute of Chicago)

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Source: https://news.wttw.com/2019/10/02/ask-geoffrey-history-art-institute-lions