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Atlas: by Lee Lawrie:
One can't help being lured in by the dominating sculpture of Atlas, designed by Lee Lawrie. Weighing in at 14,000 pounds, Atlas has the distinction of being the largest sculptural work in the Center. He stands 15-feet tall atop a 9-foot high pedestal. The exaggerated physical features cast in bronze are a fine example of the Art Deco style. What's odd about Atlas is what he's supporting on his shoulders -- not the earth, as in the original myth, but a representation of the heavens.
There are other important Center artworks within sight of Atlas. The International Building North (636 Fifth Avenue) to the right features two works by Attilio Piccirilli: a glass panel representing youth's leadership in world affairs (directly above the doors) and a polychrome limestone cartouche further up representing commerce and industry. The three-ton glass panel was cast by Corning Glass Company in 45 different molds. Atop the International Building North you can see Leo Lentelli's carved representations of Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
(The above was from the Rockefeller Center: Visitor's Guide & Walking Tour brochure) |