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Atlas – by Lee Lawrie and Rene Paul Chambellan

The sculpture was created by Lee Lawrie with the help of Rene Paul Chambellan.

Location: In front of Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan, New York City, across Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
630 Fifth Avenue, main entrance forecourt.

The sculpture depicts the Ancient Greek Titan Atlas holding the heavens.

1937 / Cast bronze / 15-foot high on 9-foot granite pedestal / 7 tons.

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From the Rockefeller Center website.. click here..
Atlas is a successful collaboration between two talented artists, Lee Lawrie, who conceived the idea and designed the figure and Rene Paul Chambellan, who modeled the heroic-sized statue from his sketch. A famous figure from Greek mythology, Atlas was half-man, half-god giant known as Titan, who helped lead a war against the Olympic gods. After the Titan’s defeat, Atlas was condemned to carry the world on his shoulders as punishment.

Atlas is one of Rockefeller’s greatest Art Deco icon and has even been used on U.S. postage stamps.

 

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The north-south axis of the armillary sphere on his shoulders points to the North Star as viewed from New York City. Laid across Atlas’s shoulders is a wide, curved beam that displays a frieze of the traditional symbols for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Adjacent to Earth (over Atlas’s right forearm) is a small crescent symbolizing the Moon. Affixed to one of the sphere’s rings are symbols for twelve constellations through which the Sun passes during the year.

 

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The north-south axis of the armillary sphere on his shoulders points to the North Star as viewed from New York City. Laid across Atlas’s shoulders is a wide, curved beam that displays a frieze of the traditional symbols for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Adjacent to Earth [over Atlas’s right forearm] is a small crescent symbolizing the Moon. Affixed to one of the sphere’s rings are symbols for twelve constellations through which the Sun passes during the year.

 

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In Atlas’s right forearm.. From right to left..
symbols of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars..
Adjacent to Earth, is a small crescent symbolizing Moon.

 

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On Atlas’s left forearm.. From right to left
symbols of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

Is Jupiter missing? Or am I missing Jupiter?
I have tried to see the image many times. Everytime I see seven planets. Four on right forearm and three on the left. Am I missing something?

A very logical explanation has been provided by Eli Robb.. who maintains a wonderful blog, Sculpture Spotter.
It may be that the Jupiter symbol is not visible because it is (or would be) directly behind Atlas’ head. It was Jupiter/Zeus who punished Atlas to bear the celestial weight after his Olympians defeated Atlas’ Titans. It would make sense that Jupiter would bear down most heavily on Atlas, at the point where the arc meets his neck. It is also where the planet Jupiter would be located–the fifth planet from the sun, or fifth from the right on this sculpture. Just a theory.

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