Chicago Rising from the Lake - Chicago, IL
Posted by: adgorn
N 41° 53.325 W 087° 37.238
16T E 448510 N 4637610
Milton Horn’s bronze bas-relief - a woman rising from a lake holding sheaves of grain and embracing a bull, with an eagle in front and plant forms in the background - is symbolic of the city of Chicago.
Waymark Code: WM8QH0
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2010
Views: 7
From the City of Chicago's Public Sculpture site:
(
visit link)
"The female figure represents Chicago emerging reborn from the bottom of Lake Michigan following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The sheaf of wheat, bull and eagle reference Chicago’s historic role as a center of commerce, the livestock market and air transportation, respectively. Floral forms evoke the city motto, “Urbs in Horto” or “City in a Garden.” Finally, the bronze ring arching across the relief represents Chicago’s central geography within the United States."
H 7 ft. x W 12 ft.
From the Smithsonian database:
"The sculpture, commissioned in 1954 by the City of Chicago, was originally installed on the facade of Chicago Parking Facility No. 1 at 11 W. Wacker Drive, and remained there until the garage was demolished in 1983. It was abandoned in storage until "rediscovered" in 1887 (My note: s/b 1987) at the Chicago Department of Transportation ironshop. The sculpture was conserved and installed on the Columbus Drive Bridge in 1998 as part of the development of the path along the Chicago River."
It took a bit of exploration to find the sculpture and then get down to the riverfront to be able to view it up close. Definitely worth it though! The riverwalk is a great addition to Chicago sightseeing.