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Sculptural Ornamentation:
Salvaged portrait busts from the demolished Garrick Theater

Schiller Theatre  [later the Garrick Theater ]  was designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler of the Adler & Sullivan firm. At the time of construction it was one of the tallest buildings in Chicago, with a magnificient 1,300 seat theater. In 1903, it was named Garrick Theater. In 1960, the Garrick Theater was razed to ground and replaced by parking garage. The demolition instigated large outcry and is said to be the first wide spread preservation efforts in Chicago!

Some parts of the sculptural ornamentation, mainly the salvaged portrait busts, can be seen on some buildings in the city.
These portrait busts are attributed to Richard Bock.
827-831 N Dearborn Street
2421 N. Geneva Terrace
1945 N Lincoln Ave
The Second City Theater.

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Portrait busts on 827-831 N Dearborn Street/ Fragments from Garrick Theatre

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Portrait busts on 2421 N. Geneva Terrace / Fragments from Garrick Theater

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Portrait bust on 1945 N Lincoln Ave / Fragments from Garrick Theater

When I took these photographs of portrait busts on 1945 N Lincoln Ave., I had no idea that these were fragments from the Garrick Theater. Much later I found out these are salvaged fragments from the now demolished Garrick Theater.

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The Second City Theater / Fragments from Garrick Theater 
Address: 1616 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60614.

The facade features portraits of famous Germans. These are the salvaged piece from the Garrick Theater. Although no one knows for sure, who these portrait busts represent, but Bob Burton has convincingly identified at least four busts found on the Second City theater.  Read the article, Who are the Overseers of The Second City Comedy Theater in Chicago? by R. M. “Bob” Burton..click here..
Excerpt..
Although these four guys may have been revolutionary in their fields, they had nothing to do with the American Revolution. In fact, they’re not even Americans; they’re Germans! So the question is really more like, “Who are these German guys and what are they doing at the entrance to The Second City at 1616 North Wells Street in Chicago’s Old Town?”

 

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RELATED LINKS

Chicago, Public Art in Lincoln Park .. click here..
Chicago, Art by Location.. click here..

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