Sunday, May 11, 2014

Art Deco: Commerce and Industry with a Caduceus - NY, NY

Interesting Places I've Photographed
Commerce and Industry with a Caduceus
New York, NY

Topic: Art Deco

GPS: N40° 45.538; W073° 58.617

Quick Description: 

Commerce and Industry with a Caduceus is located in Rockefeller Center at 636 Fifth Avenue. above the door to the the International Building at 636 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Long Description:

Commerce and Industry with a Caduceus is an Art Deco polychrome painted limestone bas-relief sculpture carved by the famous Italian-American sculptor Attilio Piccirilli in 1936. It is located at the Fifth Avenue entrance to the International Building, opposite St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan.

The bas relief depicts two heroic nude figures that symbolizes the activities of Industry and Commerce. On the left is the male who represents Commerce. He is kneeling to his left while looking straight ahead. His right hand rests on top of a handle of a sledgehammer. A drape is wrapped around each arm. Opposite him is a female figure representing Industry. She is kneeling to her right. Her right hand is holding a drape near her right shoulder. The drape extends down to cover her thighs. Her left hand is resting on a cog wheel. Between the figures is a caduceus, which is the symbol of the Mercury, the god of trade. The symmetrical maroon wings of the caduceus wrap around each figure. Gilded leaves top the sculpture.

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