Chicago Picasso
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
| Untitled |
| Pablo Picasso, 1967 |
| Sculpture, height 50 feet (15.2 m) cm |
| Chicago, Daley Plaza |
The Chicago Picasso (often just The Picasso) is an untitled monumental sculpture by Pablo Picasso in Chicago, USA. The sculpture, dedicated on 15 August 1967 in Daley Plaza in the Chicago Loop, is 50 feet (15.2 m) tall and weighs 162 tons.[1] It was the first such major public artwork in Downtown Chicago, and has become a well known landmark. Visitors to Daley Plaza can often be seen climbing on and sliding down the base of the sculpture.
The sculpture was commissioned by the architects of the Richard J. Daley Center in 1963. Picasso completed a maquette of the sculpture in 1965, and approved a final model of the sculpture in 1966. The cost of constructing the sculpture was $351,959.17, paid mostly by three charitable foundations: the Woods Charitable Fund, the Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Foundation, and the Field Foundation of Illinois. Picasso himself was offered payment of $100,000 but refused it, stating that he wanted to make a gift of his work,[2] although he never explained what the sculpture was intended to represent.[3] The sculpture was fabricated by United States Steel Corporation in Gary, Indiana for Cor-Ten steel, before being disassembled and relocated to Chicago.[1] Before fabrication of the final steel sculpture was started, a 3.5 meter (~12 feet) tall wooden model was constructed for Picasso to approve, this was eventually sent to the Gary Career Center.[4] Ground was broken in Daley Plaza for the construction of the sculpture on May 25, 1967.[5] The efforts of the City of Chicago to publicize the sculpture—staging a number of press events before the sculpture was completed, and displaying the maquette without a copyright notice—were cited as evidence in a 1970 district court case where the judge ruled that the city's actions had resulted in the sculpture being dedicated to the public domain.[2]
The sculpture was initially met with controversy.[6] One Chicago City Council alderman immediately proposed replacing it with a statue of Ernie Banks.[7] There was speculation on the subject, which ranged from a bird, or aardvark to Picasso's pet Afghan Hound, but a copper maquette is titled Tête de Baboon (Baboon Head).[8]
The sculpture may have been inspired by an English woman, Lydia Corbett, who posed for Picasso in 1954. Then 19 years old and living in Vallauris, France, Corbett would accompany her artist boyfriend as he delivered chairs made of metal, wood and rope. One of those deliveries was to Picasso, who was struck by her high ponytail and long neck. "He made many portraits of her. At the time, most people thought he was drawing the actress Brigitte Bardot. But in fact, he was inspired by [Corbett]," Picasso's grandson Widmaier Picasso told the Chicago Sun-Times in 2004. "I think the Chicago sculpture was inspired by her," said the grandson, author of Picasso, the Real Family Story.
Corbett was then known as Sylvette David and Picasso made 40 works inspired by her, said the grandson, including The Girl Who Said No, reflecting their platonic relationship.
It was mentioned (and appears) in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers during the chase scene leading to the Cook County Building.
[edit] References
- ^ a b 1967 August 15--Picasso Statue Unveiled In Civic Center Plaza. Chicago Public Library (URL accessed 14 August 2005).
- ^ a b The Letter Edged in Black Press, Inc. v. Public Building Commission of Chicago 320 F. Supp. 1303 (1970)
- ^ Virginia Soto. Chicago Picasso. About.com (URL accessed 14 August 2006).
- ^ Davich, Jerry. "Unveiling Picasso's steel city beginnings", The Times of Northwest Indiana, Lee Enterprises, January 5, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-27.
- ^ Barry, Edward. "Break Ground for Big Statue in Civic Center", Chicago Tribune, Tribune Company, May 26, 1967.
- ^ Artropolis. Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (2007). Retrieved on 2007-06-06.
- ^ An Old Maestro's Magic. Time Magazine. Time Inc. (1967-08-25). Retrieved on 2007-06-06.
- ^ Pablo Picasso - Other Works - Art Gallery Svetlana & Lubos Jelinek. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
"The Woman Who Inspired city's Picasso" by Andrew Herrmann, Chicago Sun-Times. Nov. 11, 2004.
[edit] External links
- Chicago Picasso is at coordinates Coordinates:
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