Public Art at the Boston Public Library

Distinguishing Greatness: Sue Doherty, Brockton High School, 2005

Private Art

What is Public Art?

“Permanent or temporary physical works of art visible to the general public, whether part of a building or free-standing. For example, sculpture, lighting effects, street furniture, paving, railings and signs.”

UK: Government Planning Portal

What is the purpose of public art?

“Public Art enhances the quality of life by helping to define and formulate responses to social, economic, cultural and political issues faced by a community. Public Art contributes to cross-cultural understanding, and a sense of ownership and responsibility towards one's community. In its broadest definition, Public Art inspires community understanding, pride and creativity, and benefits the growth and development of the individual and community life. At its best, Public Art is more than simply art integrated, installed or performed in a public place; rather it is a community-based process of dialogue, involvement, and participation. In many instances, Public Art has become a major source of identity for a community.”

California Arts Council

Much public art is in the form of monuments and memorials

A Monument is a statue, building,or other edifice created to commemorate

(memorialize, honor) a person or event.

The "Monument to the Discoveries" in Lisbon, Portugal, commemorates famous Portuguese explorers.

A memorial is an object served as a memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event.

This memorial in England lists the names of soldiers who died in the First World War.

Purposes of monuments and memorials

• To commemorate a person or event

• To impress and awe

• To convey historical and political information about a culture

• To educate the people

• To define a public space

Murals and large paintings are another popular form of public art.

A mural is a painting on a wall, ceiling, or other large permanent surface. A mural can be purely aesthetic (pleasing to look at) or serve a broadercommemorative, inspirational, educational, political, or other purpose.

Challenges of public art

Public Art at the BPL

• Predominantly sculpture, statues, and murals. • Based on an “American Renaissance” concept: “a

collaborative of the ablest architects, painters, and sculptors achieving a harmony of the arts in an edifice proclaiming native pride and the public elevation of taste.”

• McKim personally selected and commissioned famous, recognized artists of the time to complete some works for the library; other works were donated.

• The mission of the library as a place of learning and inspiration is evident in much of the art work.

• Some of the work became quite controversial.

Science and Art Bela L. Pratt, 1911

Sir Henry VaneFrederick MacMonnies

Jesus and Lucifer Horatio Greenough

Detail of busts

Memorial LionsLouis Saint-Gaudens

The Puvis De Chavannes Murals, 1893-1896Main Panel: Les Muses Inspiratrices Acclament Le

Genie, Messager de Luimiere

The Puvis De Chavannes Murals, Smaller Panels

• Physics

• Pastoral, Dramatic, & Epic Poetry

• History, Astronomy, & Philosophy

• Chemistry

Venetian Lobby

Bates Hall

Quest of the Holy Grail, 1895Edwin Austin Abbey

#1: Galahad is chosen

#2: Galahad goes forth

#3: Galahad and The Seat Perilous

#4: Setting out on the search for the Holy Grail

#5: Galahad finds the Castle of the Grail

#6: Galahad is cursed by three damsels for failing his first test

#7: Galahad fights the Seven Deadly Sins

#8: Galahad receive the keys to the Castle of the Maidens

#9: Galahad is welcomed by the maidens

#10:Galahad leaves his bride on their wedding knight

#11: Galahad returns to the Castle of the Grail

#12: Galahad leaves in honor

#13: Galahad sails to Sarras

#15: Galahad receives the Grail

Bacchante and Infant Faun Frederick MacMonnies, 1893

Banned in Boston, 1896And “a memorial

to the worst type

of harlotry!”

She’s “a menace

to the

Commonwealth!”

Bacchante returns, 1993

The Sargent Gallery: Triumph of ReligionJohn Singer Sargent, 1895-1919

diagram

North CeilingPagan Gods, 1895

North, West, and East Walls, 1895

Frieze of Prophets

Israelites

Oppressed

South WallDogma of the Redemption, 1903

• Trinity

• Crucifix

• Frieze

of

Angels

South CeilingMysteries of the Rosary, 1916

West WallMadonna of Sorrows, 1916

East Wall, Handmaid of the Lord, 1916

East WallFall of Gog and Magog, 1916

West WallHell, 1916

East WallIsrael and the Law, 1916

West WallJudgment, 1916

East WallMessianic Era, 1916

East WallHeaven, 1916

West WallSynagogue and Church, 1919

Synagogue and Church, details

West WallUnfinished panel for Sermon on the Mount

Sargent’s sketch for Sermon on the Mount

Reflection #1

Discuss one work of art you learned about today that is interesting to you. Why does it appeal to you?

Reflection #2

Why were some of the art works installed at the Boston Public Library more controversial than others?

Can you think of any examples of public art that have been or might be controversial today?

Image Credits• Slides 2, 12-36, 38 (except Bacchante), 39, 40, 56: Sue Doherty• Slide 5: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_memorial• Slides 8-10: Collage images found through Google image search: murals, statues,

public art, sculpture• Slide 37: http://muddyriver.typepad.com/photos/boston_public_library/lib19.html• Slide 38 (Bacchante): http://artrenewal.org/asp/database/image.asp?id=4930• Slide 41: http://www.bpl.org/guides/sargentdiagram.htm• Slides 42-55: http://sargentmurals.bpl.org/site/imagesection/index.html• Slide 57: http://www.bpl.org/guides/sargentsermon.htm

Bibliography

• Boyce, Patsy C. "Banned in Boston in 1896, 'Bacchante' is coming home." The Boston Sunday Globe 6 June 1993: 115.

• Currin, Nathan. "Sir Galahad." King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table. 2001. 27 Nov. 2005 <http://www.kingarthursknights.com/knights/galahad.asp>.

• Driscoll, Joseph. "Bacchante and Infant Faun." Muddy River. 2004. 27 Nov. 2005 <http://muddyriver.typepad.com/photos/boston_public_library/lib19.html>.

• Fairbanks, Jonathan Leo. "MacMonnies' Bacchante: Its Trial, Condemnation and Restoration." Scupture Review XLII (1993): 2931.

• "Frederick MacMonnies: Bacchante and Infant Faun." ARC International: The Art Renewal Center. 2004. Foundation for the Art Renewal Center. 26 Nov. 2005 <http://artrenewal.org/asp/database/image.asp?id=4930>.

• "Frederick William MacMonnies: Bacchante and Infant Faun." Timeline of Art History. 2005. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 27 Nov. 2005

<http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/modl/hod_97.19.htm>. • Granger, Alfred Hoyt. Charles Follen McKim: A Study of His Life and Work. New York: B. Blom.,

1972. • "Horatio Greenough: An American Sculptor's Drawings." Traditional Fine Arts Organization. 1999.

23 Nov. 2005 <http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/3aa/3aa150.htm>. • "Images." The Sargent Murals at the Boston Public Library: History, Interpretation, Restoration.

2003. Boston Public Library. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://www.sargentmurals.bpl.org/site/imagesection/index.html>.

• James, Henry. The Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail. Ms. Boston Public Library, Boston.

Bibliography, 2

• Lupack, Alan, and Barbara Tepa Lupack. "Holy Grail: Texts, Images, Basic Information." The Camelot Project at the University of Rochester. 4 Oct. 2005. The Robbins

Library. 26 Nov. 2005 <http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/grlmenu.htm>. • "Planning Portal Glossary: P." Planning Portal. 2005. UK Government. 23 Nov. 2005

<http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/government/en/1115310689486.html>. • Promey, Sally M. "Diagram of John Singer Sargent's Triumph of Religion, showing location of

individual panels and order of installation." Boston Public Library. 2003. Boston Public Library. 27 Nov. 2005 <http://www.bpl.org/guides/sargentdiagram.htm>.

• Promey, Sally M. "John Singer Sargent's Triumph of Religion." Boston Public Library. 2003. Boston Public Library. 27 Nov. 2005 <http://www.bpl.org/guides/sargenttriumph.htm>.

• Promey, Sally M. Painting Religion in Public. Princeton, N.J. 1999: Princeton UP. • "Public Art." California Arts Council. 23 Nov. 2005 <http://www.cac.ca.gov/?id=87>. • "Public Art." Wikipedia. 4 Oct. 2005. Wikimedia Foundation. 23 Nov. 2005

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_art>. • Reibman, Greg. "The Bacchante That Got Left Behind." ARTnews May 1992: 40. • Sargent, R.a., John Singer. "Judaism and Christianity." Boston Public Library. 2003. Boston

Public Library. 27 Nov. 2005 <http://www.bpl.org/guides/sargentmurals.htm>. • Whitehill, Walter Muir. Boston Public Library: A Centennial History. Cambridge: Harvard UP,

1956. • Wick, Peter Arms. A Handbook to the Art and Architecture of the Boston Public Library. Boston:

The Associates of the Boston Public Library, 1977.