Big Painting Sculpture

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“Big Painting Sculpture” by Patrick Heron, 1998
Stag Place, Westminster
London, January 2007

“It was commissioned by Land Securities back in 1998, and became one of the first examples of the company’s commitment to public art, as well as offering a creative and elegant solution to a practical problem of wind blowing through the passageway (given that Heron’s house was on a hilltop in Cornwall, he knew all about windbreaks!). The construction of the sculpture was a family affair, as it was his son-in-law, the architect Julian Feary, who was charged with realizing Heron’s concept in three dimensions and grand scale. ‘Big Painting Sculpture’ was unveiled in July 1998 and, although the artist sadly died a year later, his legacy lives on – not only in his own piece of public art, but in the policy that Land Securities has maintained ever since of including an element of public art in all its developments.” (Patrick Heron, Land Securities Group)

The Lion of the Fountain

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Bronze lion by Alfred Jacquemart, 1857
Fontaine aux Lions (Fountain of the Lions)
Jardin des plantes
Quartier du Jardin-des-Plantes, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

See also: Le lion de la fontaine

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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Plaque honoring Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Piazza Santa Maria Novella
Florence, April 2014

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
1807 - 1882
American poet
master of the Neo-Latin languages
translator of The Divine Comedy
amid the Florentine dwellings
received this
in the Square that was called
“The Mecca of expatriates”)

Statue of Mars

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Statue of “Mars” by Jacopo Sansovino, 1567
Scala dei Giganti (Giants’ Staircase)
Courtyard of the Doge's Palace
Venice, September 2013

“Among the works showing his severe late style are the bronze portrait of Tommaso Rangone over the entrance to the Church of San Giuliano (1554), which Sansovino also designed; the colossal statues of Mars and Neptune (1554–56); and the monument to the doge Francesco Venier in the Church of San Salvatore (1556–61).” (Jacopo Sansovino, Encyclopædia Britannica)

See also: Scala dei Giganti - Statue of Neptune

26 Astor Place

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26 Astor Place by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates
445 Lafayette Street
New York, September 2007

“Astor Place provides an opportunity to own and experience the synergy of art, architecture and urban life. Located in the heart of one of downtown’s most dynamic and culturally enriched neighborhoods, amid landmarks including the Public Theater and the Cooper Union, the 270-foot, 21-story asymmetrical tower designed by Charles Gwathmey and Robert Siegel features a collection of 39 museum-quality architectural loft residences. Undulating walls of floor-to-ceiling glass reveal panoramic views while natural zinc and limestone enhance the reflectivity of the building’s façade.” (Astor Place, Luxury Condominiums)

Cour du Dragon

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Copy of the bas-relief of the Dragon by Paul-Ambroise Slodtz, 1732
Rue de Rennes 50
Quartier Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 6th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

“This fabulous beast was the main ornament on the facade of a monumental gateway built in Paris by Pierre de Vigny (1728–32), leading into the Cour du Dragon (later destroyed) on the rue de l'Egout (today, the rue de Rennes). On the keystone of the arch, beneath a richly decorated wrought-iron balcony, Paul-Ambroise Slodtz carved the dragon of Saint Margaret, patron saint both of the street opposite and of the wife of the financier who commissioned the work, Antoine Crozat. This sculpture is one of the few surviving examples of rocaille decoration made for a building in Paris.” (Dragon, Paul-Ambroise Slodtz, Musée du Louvre)

Manfredo Fanti

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Monument to General Manfredo Fanti by Pio Fedi and Clemente Papi
Piazza San Marco
Florence, April 2014

MS Queen Victoria

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The 294-meter cruise ship “Queen Victoria”
Giudecca Canal
Venice, September 2013

“Large cruise ships will be banned from the canal between the mainland and the Giudecca island in the lagoon while a new access channel is developed with the main shipping terminal. The Venice port, which campaigned successfully to preserve the existing passenger terminal, estimates the project will take two years to complete. Over the past 15 years, Venice has become one of the world's most important cruise destinations, with up to nine cruise turnarounds a day in high season. The new measures would limit to five the number of cruise ships berthed at one time, and restrict passage to sunrise and sunset.” (Venice to ban giant cruise ships, The Guardian)

Soviet War Memorial

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Detail of the Soviet War Memorial by Mikhail Gorvits, 1945
Straße des 17. Juni, Großer Tiergarten
Berlin, September 2011

Вечная слава героям павшым в боях с немецкомо фашистскими захватчиками за свободу и независимость Советского Союза

(Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in battle against the German fascist invaders for the freedom and independence of the Soviet Union)

Grand Commandement blanc

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“Grand Commandement blanc” (Big White Commandment) by Alain Kirili, 1986
Outside the Musée de l'Orangerie
Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden)
Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

Abraham

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“Abraham”, copy of the original bronze panel of the
Porte del Paradiso (Gates of Paradise) by Lorenzo Ghiberti
Battistero di San Giovanni (Florence Baptistery)
Piazza del Duomo
Florence, October 2013

See also: Adam and Eve - Cain and Abel - Noah

Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana

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Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (National Library of St Mark's)
Piazzetta San Marco, San Marco
Venice, September 2013

Francisco de Miranda

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Statue of Francisco de Miranda by Rafael de la Cova
(A 1990 copy of the 1895 original)
Fitzroy Street, Camden
London, January 2007

“The Venezualan patriot Francisco de Miranda lived at 58 Grafton Way from 1802 to 1810, during which time it became a hotbed of South American revolutionary fervour where all the famous names from Bolivar down met and plotted. In 1810 Miranda returned to Venezuala and became its first revolutionary leader, only to be deposed by a Spanish counter-attack. On his way to be evacuated by a British warship he was handed over to the Spanish authorities by, ironically, Bolivar. Miranda died in prison a few years later. The statue is a copy of one made in 1895 by the Venezualan sculptor Rafael de la Cova. It was put in position in 1990 after the restoration of the house as a cultural centre.” (58 Grafton Way W1, Ornamental Passions)

Famous Parisians

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Statues of famous Parisians on the façade
Hôtel de Ville
Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville
Quartier Saint-Merri, 4th arrondissement
Paris, July 2011

“The central ceremonial doors under the clock are flanked by allegorical figures of Art, by Laurent Marqueste, and Science, by Jules Blanchard. Some 230 other sculptors were commissioned to produce 338 individual figures of famous Parisians on each facade, along with lions and other sculptural features. The sculptors included prominent academicians like Ernest-Eugène Hiolle and Henri Chapu, but easily the most famous was Auguste Rodin. Rodin produced the figure of the 18th-century mathematician Jean le Rond d'Alembert, finished in 1882.” (Hôtel de Ville, Wikipedia)

Cenacolo of Sant'Apollonia

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“Cenacolo” (Last Supper) by Andrea del Castagno, 1450
Church of Sant'Apollonia
Via 27 Aprile
Florence, April 2014

“The detail and naturalism of this fresco portray the ways in which del Castagno departed from earlier artistic styles. The highly detailed marble walls hearken back to Roman ‘First Style’ wall paintings, and that the pillars and statues recall Classical sculpture and preface trompe l'oeil painting. Furthermore, the color highlights in the hair of the figures, flowing robes, and a credible perspective in the halos foreshadow advancements to come.” (Last Supper, Wikipedia)

Blue Moon Beach

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Belvedere, Blue Moon beach
Lido di Venezia
Venice, September 2013

“There are a couple of exceptions with a few public beaches scattered in between, but if you are not staying at one of the hotels on Lido, it would be a lot easier to simply head to either the southern end or northeastern most end of the island where you can find two large public beaches. Coco Beach is a popular public beach that can get overrun with tourists in the summer. Blue Moon Beach is also popular amongst tourists visiting or staying on Lido Venice Beach.” (Venice Italy Beaches, Destination 360)

Cat, Bird & Worm

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Detail of “The Real World” by Tom Otterness, 1992
Nelson Rockefeller State Park
Battery Park City
New York, September 2007

“Otterness demonstrates kinship with viewers of all stripes by using popular forms of address to express distance from commonly recognized modes of authority (including Modernist art conventions), acknowledging that in ‘the real world’ artist and audience inhabit the same unstable environment. However, the nature of his sculpture—the sheer expense of its construction, the maze of official channels that must be negotiated to bring it to fruition as a public work—requires self-effacement before the powers that be.” (Tom Otterness: Public Art and the Civic Ideal in the Postmodern Age, Sculpture Magazine Archives)

Le voyageur

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One of the “Voyageurs” (Travelers) by Bruno Catalano, Galerie Bartoux
Avenue des Champs-Élysées
Quartier des Champs-Élysées, 8th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

“Bruno Catalano is a French artist born in 1960. His work reveal his desire to capture the viewers attention. Stamping his unique mark on the subject. Admiring art since his youth, it is only in 1990 that Catalano started a career as a remarkable sculptor. His talent lies in his ability to endow the inherently elusive material with a transcendent essence. As a romantic dreamer, his subject matter takes shape in the fantastic framework of the world where love, beauty and harmony reign. His passion for art will never lose its strength. ‘The universal theme of travel still inspires Bruno Catalano’. Since he started to knead clay, hundreds of ‘travelers’ have come out of his feverish hands, populating his studio while awaiting an unknown destination.” (Bruno Catalano, Galerie Bartoux)

Caffè Megara

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Model of the Red Baron's Fokker Dr.I
Caffè Megara
Via della Spada
Florence, April 2014

Clothesline

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Clothesline
Calle Fianco de la Scuola, Dorsoduro
Venice, September 2013

Nextbike Bicycles

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Public sharing bicycles
Potsdamer Platz
Berlin, September 2011

“nextbike bikes are available around the clock at our many rental stations. You can rent our bikes easily through an app, at the terminals or simply by calling the hotline number. Once registered, renting bikes can be done in every participating city and country. We provide bike sharing systems in more than 30 German cities and 14 countries worldwide. ” (Public Bike Sharing, nextbike)

Lion by Alfred Jacquemart

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Bronze lion by Alfred Jacquemart, left gate of the Eastern façade
Hôtel de Ville
Rue de Lobau
Quartier Saint-Gervais, 4th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

See also: Lion by Auguste Cain

Chiostro degli Aranci

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Chiostro degli Aranci (Cloister of the Oranges)
Badia Fiorentina
Via del Proconsolo
Florence, April 2014

“Despite the alterations it has suffered in recent centuries, the Badia has managed to preserve the delightful Cloister of the Oranges, built between 1432 and 1438 with the assistance of Bernardo Rossellino. In the upper floor of the cloister there is a fresco cycle of Scenes from the life of St. Benedict by the anonymous Maestro del Chiostro degli Aranci (1436-39), who is perhaps to be identified with the Portuguese artist Giovanni di Consalvo.” (Badia Fiorentina, The Museums of Florence)

Campiello di Ca' Angaran

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Medallion of a Byzantine Emperor
Campiello di Ca' Angaran, Dorsoduro
Venice, September 2013

The Young Lovers

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“The Young Lovers” by Georg Ehrlich, 1951
Festival Gardens, City of London
London, October 2009

“The formal layout consists of a sunken lawn with wall fountain water feature, a gift of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners in 1951, surrounded by raised paved terrace with stone parapets and seating, with planting in tubs and a number of trees including a lime hedge and a fine catalpa. The Information Pavilion now adjacent to Carter Lane Garden (q.v.) was originally positioned east of the Festival Gardens and was moved to the present site in 1955. In the west is a sculpture, ‘The Young Lovers’ by Georg Ehrlich (1897-1960), erected in 1973.” (Festival Gardens, London Gardens Online)

Émile Levassor

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Monument to Émile Levassor by Camille Lefèvre
Square Alexandre-et-René-Parodi, boulevard de l'Amiral-Bruix
Quartier de la Porte-Dauphine, 16th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

“By 1891 Levassor had designed a radically new motorcar to house Daimler’s engine. He broke with tradition by placing the engine in front of the driver rather than under him, thereby obtaining better traction for the steering (front) wheels. He replaced the typical belt drive with a shaft-and-gear transmission that could be selectively engaged with a clutch to give different speed ratios. These and other innovations and existing designs were brilliantly combined by Levassor in the automobiles that his firm started selling in 1892. His vehicles were the first true, if embryonic, automobiles, rather than being simply carriages that had been modified for self-propulsion.” (Émile Levassor, Encyclopædia Britannica)

Mirror

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“Mirror” by Simone D'Auria
Gallery Hotel Art
Vicolo dell’Oro
Florence, April 2014

“Specchio, specchio delle mie brame, chi ha la bicicletta più bella del reame?”
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is not whose the fairest bicycle of all?”

Rio Malatin

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Rio Malatin / Rio del Santissimo passing under the
Convento di Santo Stefano (Saint Stephen's Convent)
Seen from Campo Sant'Angelo, San Marco
Venice, September 2013

Defender Class Boat

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USCG 25-Foot Defender Class Boat
Hudson River
New York, September 2007

“Originally developed as a replacement for 300 shore based non-standard boats, the RB-S became the platform to increase the long term HLS capability at shore stations in the wake of September 11, 2001. The RB-S is very similar to the rapidly procured RB-HS boat, but with dozens of improvements to include a reinforced bow, full shock mitigating seating, larger cabin and LED navigation lights. Over 540 RB-S were produced between 2002 and 2009, and they are assigned all over the Coast Guard at sectors, stations, MSRT/MSSTs, MSUs, training centers, and some AUXFACs. As some RB-S near the end of their 10-year service life, they will be replaced with the RB-S II starting in 2012.” (25-Foot Defender Class Boat, United States Coast Guard)

Lion by Auguste Cain

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Bronze lion by Auguste Cain, right gate of the Eastern façade
Hôtel de Ville
Rue de Lobau
Quartier Saint-Gervais, 4th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

See also: Tigre terrassant un crocodile - Tigresse apportant un paon à ses petits - Le lion de Nubie - Lion by Alfred Jacquemart