Pere Marquette, (sculpture).

Pere Marquette, (sculpture).

Queoff, Thomas, 1952- , sculptor.

Aelco Foundry, founder.

Pere Marquette, (sculpture).

Cast 1987. Dedicated July 9, 1987.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: cast bronze; Relief marker: granite or marble.

2 pieces. Sculpture: approx. 69 x 32 x 32 in.; Relief marker: approx. 108 x 95 x 7 in.

(Top front of relief tablet:) PERE MARQUETTE (On back of relief tablet:) PERE/MARQUETTE/MEMORIAL unsigned

Pere Marquette stands holding a crucifix up in his proper left hand; his proper right hand is extended upward. Behind him, a granite marker depicts a river landscape with a Native American in a canoe.

Portrait male -- Marquette, Jacques -- Full length

Occupation -- Religion -- Clergy

Ethnic -- French

Ethnic -- Indian

Architecture -- Boat -- Canoe

Landscape -- River

Outdoor Sculpture -- Wisconsin -- Milwaukee

Administered by Milwaukee County, Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, 9480 West Watertown Plank Road, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226

Located Carl Zeidler Park, 910 North 3rd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Plaque on proper right reads: Pere Jacques/Marquette, S.J./Missionary and Explorer/1637-1675/350th Anniversary of his birth/Statue dedicated July 9, 1987/Bronze cast donated by the/Milwaukee Sentinel, founded 1837./in honor of its 150th anniversary. Plaque on proper left reads: PERE JACQUES MARQUETTE, S.J./MISSIONAIRE ET EXPLORATEUR/1637-1675/STATUE EN BRONZE OFFERTE PAR LE "MILWAUKEE SENTINEL"/EN COMMEMORATION DE SON 150 EME ANNIVERSAIRE.

The sculpture is a bronze copy of a marble statue, originally presented to Milwaukee County by Marquette University High School on Dec. 10, 1957 in observance of their centennial. Carved in Italy, the marble statue was installed in front of a granite or marble marker etched with a river landscape scene. The entire memorial was sited just north of the Milwaukee Road train depot. In 1965, the marble statue was vandalized and removed to storage.

In the early 1970s, the City and County razed buildings along the west bank of the Milwaukee River between West State and West Kilbourn Avenue. The area (now Carl Zeidler Park) was renamed Pere Marquette Park because this may have been the site where Marquette camped on his journey through Wisconsin territory in Nov. 1674. Richard Lippold modelled another sculpture for the new park, but controversy over the abstract nature of his piece resulted in cancellation of the project.

Sometime around 1983, the Milwaukee Sentinel, celebrating its 150th anniversary, provided funds to restore the marble version of Pere Marquette for the new park. Artist Tom Queoff reassembled the damaged marble piece, and oversaw the casting of a bronze copy. He also restored the original rear marker. The memorial was installed, and rededicated on Bastille Day, July 9, 1987.

Reports differ as to media of rear marker. SOS! survey indicates marker is made of pink granite; Nov. 15, 1958 Milwaukee Sentinel article refers to the marker as marble.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Wisconsin, Milwaukee survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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