Auditorium Theater: Gold Leaf Spandrels with Portrait Medallions..

Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions

Auditorium Theater: Interior details..
Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions...
There's beautiful gold leaf spandrel on either side of the stage between the proscenium opening and the first set of boxes. Four portrait medallions appear in gold leaf, two on each side. The medallions were designed by Johannes Gelert, a Danish-born New York sculptor, who was chosen by Healy and Millet to work on the Auditorium. The portraits are of..
On the left:
Joseph Haydn [orchestral music] and Richard Wagner [opera]..
On the right:
Demosthenes [oratory] and William Shakespeare [drama]..



Joseph Haydn [orchestral music]



Richard Wagner [opera]..



Demosthenes [oratory]



William Shakespeare [drama]..

Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions



details - Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions



details - Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions



details - Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions



details - Gold Leaf Sprandrels and Portrait Medallions

Btw, it's this gold leaf with medallions, reminds me of [the original] Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch.. click here..

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RELATED LINKS..

# Auditorium Theater : Chicago Landmark bldg.
# Auditorium Theater - The Foundation..
# Auditorium Theater - The Outer Lobby..
# Auditoirum Theater - The Democratic Theater..
# Auditorium Theater - Gold Leaf Spandrels..
# Auditorium Theater - Murals..
# Auditorium Theater- Grand Stairways..
# Auditorium Theater- Art Glasses..

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Auditorium Theater: Interiors - Murals

“The utterance of life is a song, the symphony of nature.”

Proscenium Arch Mural..
Designed by Charles Holloway..
Healy and Millet had organized a competition, in which hundreds of participants entered includining Louis Comfort Tiffany. And Charles Holloway was selected. He was only 29 years old at the time..

The Auditorium Theater's official website, click here.. describes these murals best. An excerpt..

At the apex of the mural, rests the words: “The utterance of life is a song, the symphony of nature.” Holloway's design represents humanity at different stages of life through song: the past, or the “Song of Sorrow”; the present, the “Song of Joy”; and the future, the “Song of Hope.” This mural is meant to be viewed from right to left (south to north).

Among the 40 life-size classical figures are (starting at the far right): An angel before a bright fire symbolizing birth and inspiration; groups of joyful dancers; a male receiving a garland from a woman; a mother with a baby at her breast; a young child riding on a tiger's back; and youthful lovers. At the center of the proscenium's mural are three figures representing the present, the past and the future. The left side of the arch depicts images of sorrow and death: a philosopher with one hand on a skull; a grieving woman; a young man holding a dying companion; a daughter at the feet of her aging mother; a cross; a group of monks; the angel of twilight.







Apart from murals on the central or east proscenium arch, there are murals on the north and south walls.. Image below shows the north wall murals..











Murals: North and South Walls..
Designed and painted by Albert Francis Fleury [1848-1924]..
These continue the theme of nature, depicted in the mural over the proscenium. the words are from a poem written by Sullivan with title, "Inspiration"..
The south mural:
The inscription reads: “O, soft, melodious spring time! First-born of life and love”
The north mural:
The inscription reads: “A great life has passed into the tomb and there awaits the requiem of winter’s snows.”

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Auditorium Theater: Interiors: Grand Stairways, Mosaics, Stencils, Carpets and Plaster Decorations..

Auditorium Theater:
Grand Stairways, Mosaics, Stencils, Carpets and Plaster Decorations..
The curvilinear foliate motifs with interwined vines and leaves can be seen in wrought iron, stencils, carpets, plaster relifs and stair railings..
Mosaics: Designed by Sullivan..
Stenciling: Designed by Sullivan or Healy & Millet
Iron Ornament: Designed by Sullivan..

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Auditorium Theater: Interiors: Art Glass...

Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet



Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet



Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet



Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet



Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet



Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet

Auditorium Theater: Art Glass..
Designed and created by the firm of George Healy and Louis Millet.

The Auditorium Theater's official website, click here.. has more on these art glasses. An excerpt..
Six arched art glass lunettes are located above the doors leading from the box office entryway into the main lobby. An early source describes the inspiration of the lunettes as the allegorical figures of Wisdom, Oratory, Drama, Music, Poetry and Dance, announcing the theatre’s varied purposes.

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Milwaukee Art Museum: The Quadracci Pavilion

Milwaukee Art Museum..
The Quadracci Pavilion.. is an architectural addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum.
The name, "Quadracci Pavilion.. comes from it's philanthropic donors, Betty and Harry Quadracci. Their $10 million then-anonymous gift kicked-off a campaign for the extension of the Museum. In 1994, the Museum’s search committee convinced Santiago Calatrava to submit a proposal. They were very impressed by his design, and the project was completed in 2001.
Quadracci Pavilion..
Architect: Santiago Calatrava
Completed in 2001...
The Quadracci Pavilion is the Santiago Calatrava's first building in the US. It was named "Best Design of 2001" by Time magazine.
The Quadracci Pavilion has four major components..
- A huge operable wing-like sunscreen, "Brise-Soleil"..
- A glass enclosed Reception Hall, "Windhover Hall", with transparent, boat-like prow over the lake.
- Extending off from the Windhover Hall are two arched promenades, the Baumgartner [east] Galleria and Schroeder [west] Galleria. These flank Feature Exhibition [Baker/Rowland Galleries], Museum Store and Luner Auditorium..
- A cable-stayed pedestrian " Reiman Pedestrian Bridge"..
- Other features of Quadracci Pavilion includes.. the underground parking garage, the 100-seat cafe and the Baumgartner Terrace..

Since it is difficult to cover the Quadracci Pavilion in one post, I'm splitting it into a few smaller posts..


Burke Brise Soleil..
The Burke Brise Soleil, or the sunscreen wings, are each made up of 36 interconnected fins, spanning almost 217 feet [larger than a Boeing 747-400]. It's two ultrasonic wind sensors closes automatically if the wind speed reaches 23 mph, for 3 seconds at a stretch..
# For more on Burke Brise Soliel.. click here..


The opening/closing of the Burke Brise Soleil..
The wings open and closes twice a day, and this event attracts some crowd. The Reiman pedestrial bridge provides a great view of the event.. However, in this trip the access to the bridge was closed, due to an accident few days back. But I do have images from my last trip..
# Check out closing of the Burke Brise Soleil.. click here..



The Windhover Hall..
Directly below the Burke Soleil, is he huge glass enclosed Reception Hall, "Windhover Hall". The official website of the Milwaukee Art Museum, describes it as.. It is Santiago Calatrava’s postmodern interpretation of a Gothic Cathedral, complete with flying buttresses, pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and a central nave topped by a 90-foot-high glass roof. An average-sized, two-story family home would fit comfortably inside the reception hall..
# For more on Windhover Hall.. click here..


Baumgartner and Schroeder Galleries..
Extending north from the main Reception Hall [Windhover Hall] are two arched promenades, the Baumgartner [east] Galleria and Schroeder Foundation [west] Galleria.. The gallerias are parallel concourses that flank Lubar Auditorium, the Museum Store, and the Baker/Rowland Galleries..
# For more on Baumgartner and Schroeder Galleries, click here..


The Reiman Pedestrial Bridge..
It connects the Milwaukee downtown with the waterfront. A 192-foot pylon supports the 10 major spans of the bridge. The bridge leads to a "Burke Soleil Viewing Area", with really awesome view of the bridge.
However, unfortunately access to the pedestrian bridge was closed when we went there as there a fatal accident, few days back.

"Rather than just add something to the existing buildings, I also wanted to add something to the lakefront. I have therefore worked to infuse the building with a certain sensitivity to the culture of the lake - the boats, the sails and the always changing landscape". - Santiago Calatrava..


The Milwaukee Art Museum.. began with Layton Art Gallery [1888] and Milwaukee Art Institute [1918]. They joined to form Milwaukee Art Museum in 1957. The latest addition to the museum building is the Quadracci Pavilion, in 2001. So three buildings make up for the 117,000 square feet of gallery space and four floors of art.
[I] The Quadracci Pavilion [2001]
Architect: Santiago Calatrava.
It features exhiubition, auditorium, cafe, store and other public amenities.
[II] Kahler Building [1975]
Architect: David Kahler
Four levels hold more than fourty Collection galleries, including the Bradley Collection of Modern Art.
[III] War Memorial Center [1957]
Architect: Eero Saarinen
Administrative offices and library occupy the Museum's original building..
Cudahy Gardens..
By landscape architect: Dan Kiley
The Museum also has an elegant network of gardens, hedges, plazas and fountains designed by landscape architect Dan Kiley.

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Milwaukee Art Museum: Burke Brise Soleil

Milwaukee Art Museum..
Burke Brise Soleil..
the sunscreen wings. It's the signature element in the Calatrava's design. These two large operable wings are each made up of 36 interconnected fins, ranging in length from 26 feet to 105 feet. The Brise Soleil wingspan spreads 217 feet at its widest point, wider than a Boeing 747-400 airplane, and weights 90 tons.
- The wings open and close the same time every day..
- It takes about three minutes for the wings to fully open and close..
- The wings can also be partially opened and closed..
- Weather sensors are used to monitor conditions that make extended wings dangerous. If a sensor detects a windspeed of more than 23 mph for more than three seconds at a stretch, the wings close automatically.
- During a power failure, the wings close automatically..

The cable-stayed bridge pylon and the Quadracci Pavilion building spine are aligned at the same axis, and are inclined at 48.36 degrees towards the pavilion..

# For more on the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum, click here..

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