Four Terra Cotta Busts - Second City Theater Facade, Chicago, IL - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

Paraphrased from Reidy's "Chicago Sculpture":
“Richard W. Bock, associated with Frank Lloyd Wright, established himself as a leading sculptor of works adorning buildings by the end of the nineteenth century. He obtained a commission from Louis Sullivan when they were designing the Schiller Building (later known as the Garrick Theater) in downtown Chicago in 1892. It is believed that Bock is responsible for the busts on the Garrick façade. (Sullivan had decorated its facade with a second-floor balcony, and he ornamented the balcony with one dozen bas relief likenesses of German composers, poets, and philosophers, because this was originally the Schiller theater, devoted to German plays.) These were salvaged when the building was demolished in the 1960s. Four busts were purchased by Bernie Sahlins, Second City cofounder, and placed on the front of his Second City Theater, now at 1616 N. Wells. Others were incorporated into the walls of other residential buildings in Chicago.”

In a wonderful article entitled “Who are the Overseers of The Second City Comedy Theater in Chicago?” which you can read here: (visit link)
Bob Burton engaged in a quest to determine whom the busts portrayed. After extensive research and photographic comparison, he determined that they are, from L to R, Giacomo Meyerbeer (one of the leading composers of opera in nineteenth-century Europe), Fritz Reuter(story author and politcal activist), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer), and Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (founder of modern German literature.)

We all have Richard Nickel to thank for preserving these sculptures. Nickel was a Chicago area photographer who preserved through photos many of the city's architectural landmarks that were ultimately torn down. He also took it upon himself to rescue pieces of art from these buildings. That activity cost him his life in 1972.

TITLE: Four Terra Cotta Busts ARTIST(S): Bock, Richard W., 1865-1949, sculptor. DATE: not given but originally were 1892 MEDIUM: Terra cotta CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 87820065 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Facade of The Second City 1616 N Wells St Chicago, IL 60614 DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: The spelling of "dimolishsed" in the listing should be corrected.

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