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More Smithsonian Searches     Who else has...     Garner, Archibald,     Burnham, Roger Noble,     Stanley, George,     Newell, Gordon B.,     el Djey, Djey,     Foerster, Arnold,     Portrait male -- Copernicus, Nicolaus     Portrait male -- Galilei, Galileo     Portrait male -- Herschel, William     Portrait male -- Hipparchus     Portrait male -- Kepler, Johannes     Portrait male -- Newton, Isaac     Occupation -- Science     Object -- Tool     Obelisk     Outdoor Sculpture -- California -- Los Angeles     Sculpture

Astronomers Monument, (sculpture). Artist:  Garner, Archibald, 1904-1970, sculptor. Burnham, Roger Noble, 1876-1962, sculptor. Stanley, George, 1903- , sculptor. Newell, Gordon B., 1905- , sculptor. el Djey, Djey, ca. 1911- , sculptor. Foerster, Arnold, sculptor. Title:  Astronomers Monument, (sculpture). Dates:  Dedicated Nov. 25, 1934. Digital Reference:  Medium:  Sculpture: cast concrete with cast bronze armillary sphere; Base: concrete. Dimensions:  Sculpture: approx. H. 40 x Diam. 30 ft.; Each figure: approx. H. 9 ft.; Base: approx. H. 5 ft. 4 in. Inscription:  (Incised on riser of southeast point of hexagonal base:) PWAP 1934 signed Description:  A hexagonal star-shaped obelisk with columnar figures of the astronomers Copernicus, Hipparchus, Herschel, Newton, Kepler, and Galileo installed between each side. The figures hold astronomical instruments and other scientific devices. A bronze armillary sphere sits atop the obelisk. The sculpture rests on a star-shaped base. Subject:  Portrait male -- Copernicus, Nicolaus -- Full length Portrait male -- Galilei, Galileo -- Full length Portrait male -- Herschel, William -- Full length Portrait male -- Hipparchus -- Full length Portrait male -- Kepler, Johannes -- Full length Portrait male -- Newton, Isaac -- Full length Occupation -- Science -- Astronomer Object -- Tool -- Measuring Device Object Type:  Obelisk Outdoor Sculpture -- California -- Los Angeles Sculpture Owner:  Administered by City of Los Angeles, Cultural Affairs Department, Public Art Division, 433 South Spring Street, 10th floor, Los Angeles, California 90013 Located Griffith Park Observatory and Planetarium, Western Canyon Road, Los Angeles, California Remarks:  Funded through the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the City of Los Angeles. The Women's Auxiliary of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce funded the construction materials. The PWAP sponsored a competition, and on March 13, 1934, the Los Angeles Parks Commission chose the monument design by Archibald Garner. Five local sculptors were then chosen to create the astronomers in keeping with Garner's Art Deco design. Archibald Garner sculpted the figure of Copernicus. The monument was created concurrently with the Griffith Observatory and Planetarium. Studio space was provided for the artists in the completed lower level of the observatory building, and all work was done on site. It is presumed that the monument was cast by the same firm contracted for the construction of the observatory building. The original armillary sphere, which is in storage at the observatory, was made of cast stone covered with a metal alloy foil (lead, tin, and copper). In 1989, after five decades of exposure to the elements, the seriously eroded armillary sphere was removed during renovation of the monument. In the spring of 1991, a new cast bronze replacement sphere was installed atop the monument. Errors in the original armillary sphere were corrected in the replacement. The new sphere was cast by Gasser Olds Foundry. IAS files contain an undated article by the designer's son, Jeff Garner, and related newsclippings. References:  Save Outdoor Sculpture, California survey, 1995. SOS Assessment Award, 1999. SOS Conservation Treatment Award, 1999. Illustration:  Image on file. Note:  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. Repository:  Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 Control Number:  IAS CA000442   Copy/Holding information Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum Control Number   Inventory of American Sculpture CA000442 Add Copy to MyList Format: HTMLPlain textDelimited Subject:   Email to:

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