James Michael Curley, Jr. - Boston, MA
Posted by: Metro2
N 42° 21.636 W 071° 03.423
19T E 330601 N 4691863
James Michael Curley, Jr. was a Mayor of Boston and Governor of Massachusetts.
Waymark Code: WMHBNT
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/20/2013
Views: 9
This 1980 sculpture by Lloyd Lillie is located on Congress Street in downtown Boston. The sculpture actually has TWO statues of Curley...one standing and another sitting behind himself.... perhaps suggesting that he was a man of multiple persnalites. Both are lifesized bronze pieces. The standing figure depicts a middle-aged man with a little bit of a pot belly wearing a best and suit arms at his side...looking as if he just bumped into someone that he wished he could have avoided. The second figure sits on a bench, right leg crossed over his left, looking at the supposed person to his left.
The Smithsonian Inventory (
visit link) adds:
"Double portrait of Mayor James Curly -- a full-length standing figure (representing his powerful, egotistic public figure); and a seated figure on a bench (representing his folksy Irish disposition)."
and
"The sitter, Curly, was four times mayor of Boston, never in consecutive terms. He was alderman, councillor, legislator, twice Congressman, and Governor, 1935-1936. The memorial was dedicated Sept. 18, 1980 during the 350th anniversary of Boston, and was funded through the Edward Ingersoll Browne fund. IAS files contain transcription of nearby text plaque, which includes quote from Shakespeare."
Wikipedia (
visit link) adds:
"James Michael Curley (November 20, 1874 – November 12, 1958) was an American politician famous for his four terms as Democratic mayor of Boston, Massachusetts and one term as Governor of Massachusetts. He also served twice in the United States House of Representatives. He was as well known for his popularity in Boston, particularly with Irish Americans, as well as his connections to the Irish Mob and corrupt practices. His popularity was such that he was on one occasion reelected mayor while serving time in prison for a felony conviction."