![]() First they were called Leo Astor and Leo Lenox, after The New York Public Library founders John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. Their nicknames have changed over the decades. Sculpter Edward Potter was paid 8,000 dollars in 1911 for the design and the Piccirilli Brothers executed the carving for 5,000 dollars out of pink Tennessee marble.After enduring almost a century of weather and pollution they were professionally cleaned and restored in 2004. One even served as the hiding place for the cowardly lion in the motion picture The Wiz. They have been photographed alongside countless tourists, replicated as bookends, caricatured in cartoons, and illustrated in numerous children books. Did you know that the marble lions proudly guarding the New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue are named Patience and Fortitude? Often called New York’s most lovable public sculpture, the lions have witnessed countless parades and been adorned with holly wreaths during the winter holidays and magnificent floral wreaths in springtime. bookends, lion and swashbuckler: first a pair of circa 1920 lions inscribed "Antonio Canova 1757-1822" on side, damage
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |