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The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is world renowned for its collection of paintings and sculptures. Although there is a fee to enter, there is a whole lot of art in the outskirts with free access to anyone.
My blog post on Public Art at AIC click here..
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The Lions – by Edward Kemeys
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Lions- by Edward Kemeys
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South Garden – by landscape architect Dan Kiley
Fountain of the Great Lakes – by Lorado Taft
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North Garden with Sculptures
Made in 1960, it is also known as the Stanley McCormick Memorial Court. It was constructed by Holabird & Root & Burgee. It was designed, as a sculpture court, by the landscape architect Laurie Olin.
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- Large Interior Form – by Henry Moore
- Cubi VII – by David Smith
- Flying Dragon – by Alexander Calder
- Untitled – by Ulrich Ruckriem
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The Margot and Thomas Pritzker Garden
White Curve – by Ellsworth Kelly
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- White Curve – by Ellsworth
- Margot and Thomas Pritzker Garden
- Margot and Thomas Pritzker Garden
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Noguchi Fountain – by Isamu Noguchi
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- Noguchi Fountain – by Isamu Noguchi
- Noguchi Fountain – by Isamu Noguchi
- Noguchi Fountain – by Isamu Noguchi
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McKinlock Court and Fountain of Tritons – by Carl Milles
Perhaps my favorite place in Chicago!
McKinlock Court: It’s a 11,640 square foot outdoor court at the Art Institute of Chicago. It was landscaped in 1924. By 1931 the court was remodeled so theat the Fountain of the Tritons, by Carl Milles could be installed. This court is open for dining during the summer months.. The court has beautiful Dutch Elm trees. The McKinlock Court is attached to the Garden Cafe..
For more click here..
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- Fountain of the Tritons – by Carl Milles
- Fountain of the Tritons – by Carl Milles
- Fountain of the Tritons – by Carl Milles
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Original Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch – by Louis Sullivan
The east entrance of the Art Institute of Chicago is marked by the stone arch entrance to the old Chicago Stock Exchange. Designed by Louis Sullivan in 1894, the Exchange was torn down in 1972, but salvaged portions of the original trading room were brought to the Art Institute and reconstructed.
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- Original Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch – by Louis Sullivan
- Original Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch – by Louis Sullivan
- Original Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch – by Louis Sullivan
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Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room ..
The Chicago Stock Exchange was built by one of the city’s most important early architects Louis Sullivan, with his partner, Dankmar Adler, in 1893–94. When the Stock Exchange was demolished in 1972, sections of Sullivan’s elaborate stenciled decorations, molded plaster capitals, and art glass were preserved from the Trading Room, the magnificent centerpiece of this 13-story structure. Using these fragments, the Art Institute was able to reconstruct the Trading Room in its new wing in 1976–77. Just a warning, you have to buy the ticket to see this fabulous historic place!
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- Original Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room
- Original Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room
- Original Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room
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Architecture & Friezes on the façade
The Art Institute of Chicago, is a Beaux-Arts structure, built in 1893, as part of World’s Columbian Exposition. It was the only building at the Exposition outside of the fairgrounds. Like many museums of the day, and many structures designed for the World’s Columbian Exposition, the Art Institute was traditional in character, inspired by the architectural conventions of the Renaissance, as taught in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris..
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- The Art Institute has two-story entrance portico
- Architectural details
- Museum entry arch
- Frieze on the top of the entrance
- Frieze on the top
- The Modern Wing
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Bucrania
These are called Bucranium, pural is bucrania..which is Greek for “the skull of an ox”.
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- Bucrania
- Bucrania
- Bucrania
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The Nichols Bridgeway – by Renzo Piano
The Nicolas Bridge is a pedestrian bridge connecting two major tourist attractions of Chicago: the Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago. It is a relatively new bridge, opened only in 2009. It was built primarily to solve the problem of heavy traffic on Monroe Street, which is the only street between the Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago. Nicholas bridge hovers over the Monroe Street is approximately 620-ft long and 15-ft wide . Architect is Renzo Piano. It has a beautiful view of the city.
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- The Nichols Bridgeway – by Renzo Piano
- The Nichols Bridgeway – by Renzo Piano
- The Modern Wing
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Swami Vivekanand Way
The Chicago Art Institute was the venue of the famous Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893. On September 11, 1995, the Art Institute put up a bronze plaque to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s historic address. The plaque reads: “On November 11, 1995, the stretch of Michigan Avenue that passes in front of the Art Institute was formally conferred the honorary name “Swami Vivekananda Way“..
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- Swami Vivekananda Way
- Swami Vivekananda Way
- Swami Vivekananda Way
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The Art Institute of Chicago
The Lions – by Edward Kemeys click here..
Fountain of the Great Lakes – by Lorado Taft.. click here..
South Garden – by Landscape Architect Dan Kiley.. click here..
North Garden – by Laurie Olin.. click here..
Large Interior Form – by Henry Moore.. click here..
Cubi VII – by David Smith.. click here..
Flying Dragon – by Alexander Calder.. click here..
Untitled – by Ulrich Ruckriem click here..
Margot and Thomas Pritzker Garden.. click here..
White Curve – by Ellsworth Kelly.. click here..
Noguchi Fountain – by Isamu Noguchi.. click here..
McKinlock Court – click here..
Fountain of the Tritons – by Carl Milles.. click here..
Original Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch – by Louis Sullivan.. click here..
Original] Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room .. click here..
Architecture & Friezes on the façade .. click here..
Planters with Bucrania .. click here..
The Nichols Bridgeway – by Renzo Piano.. click here..
Modern Wing – by Renzo Piano.. click here..
Swami Vivekanand Way .. click here..
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RELATED LINKS
Chicago Downtown and Loop have very high concentration of Public Art.
As such I am dividing the coverage under various posts:
The Loop
Millennium Park.. click here..
Grant Park.. click here..
Art Institute of Chicago.. click here..
Museum Campus & Soldier Field.. click here..
Chicago River: South Bank.. click here..
Chicago River: North Bank.. click here..
Pioneer Court..click here..
River North and Streeterville.. click here..
Public Art by Location.. click here..
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Chicago Art Blogger