Travis County Courthouse Friezes - Austin, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 30° 16.399 W 097° 44.700
14R E 620713 N 3349737
Art Deco building from 1930 with relief art griffins over two breezeway entrances, and relief art of a judge releasing prisoners above the main entrance.
Waymark Code: WMWQDF
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/02/2017
Views: 0
Smithsonian Art Inventory
A bas-relief limestone frieze located above the main entrance to a building depicts twelve full-length figures. In the center is the figure of a man resting on a throne, partially turned to his left. He holds a scepter in his left hand and another scepter in his right hand. A large bird is next to his throne and a female figure stands directly behind him. He is wrapped in drapery from the waist down. On his left are six nude male figures in chains. One of the figures is kneeling with his head bowed. To the right of the throned figure are two standing female figures. The women are partially draped and face each other, dancing, with their arms raised and joined in the center. Next to the women, at the end of the frieze, are two male figures seated at a table. They wear helmets.
In addition to the main frieze, two smaller identical friezes are located over lower level entrances flanking the main door. Each of the smaller friezes features two griffins facing each other with a crest in between; their front far paws rest on top of the crest.
TITLE: Travis County Courthouse Friezes
ARTIST(S): Wattinger, H. E., contractor - Page Brothers, architectural firm.
DATE: 1930
MEDIUM: Limestone
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS TX001156
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
1000 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78701
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
None Noted
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