Atlas
by Lee Lawrie, 1937
Details
- Year
- 1937
- Medium
- Bronze
- Size
- 4.6 m (15 ft) tall, on a 2.7 m (9 ft) pedestal
Lee Lawrie and sculptor René Paul Chambellan created this Art Deco bronze for Rockefeller Center in 1937. The 4.6-meter figure of the Titan Atlas holds the celestial sphere on his shoulders, his body leaning forward under the weight. It's the largest sculpture at Rockefeller Center.
The sphere shows the traditional astronomical rings: the ecliptic, equatorial, and meridian circles. Atlas faces St. Patrick's Cathedral across Fifth Avenue, which caused some controversy at the time. Critics called the placement confrontational. The sculpture weighs about 7 tonnes and sits on a granite pedestal in front of the International Building.
About Atlas
The total installation is 45 feet tall: a 15-foot bronze figure holding a 21-foot-diameter armillary sphere on a 9-foot granite pedestal. It weighs 7 tons (14,000 pounds). Created by sculptor Lee Lawrie with René Paul Chambellan, it was installed in 1937.
It's an urban legend that was largely debunked by the New York Public Library. A few individuals noted a resemblance, most notably illustrator James Montgomery Flagg (creator of the Uncle Sam poster), who said Atlas 'looks too much as Mussolini thinks he looks.' But no organized protests occurred.
The sphere's north-south axis points toward the North Star as seen from New York. Standing behind the sculpture looking toward Fifth Avenue, the sphere frames a view of St. Patrick's Cathedral. The symbol for Jupiter (who punished Atlas in myth) is behind the figure's head.
In the International Building courtyard at Rockefeller Center, facing Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets in Manhattan. It's outdoors and free to view at any time. The nearby Prometheus sculpture shares a zodiac ring motif, connecting the two thematically.
Own Art Like This
Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
Browse Collection