Controversies connected to Rockefeller Center's art works:

Find out about Diego Rivera's mural in the lobby of Rockefeller's RCA Bldg. - What happened to it? And why?

"Tumbling Woman" is gone !

Does he really look like Mussolini ?

This panel "Art is labor...Labor is Art" was removed because?

Why did the leading figurative sculptor of the 20th century had his work cut in half at the center?

Find out about the artist who lost 10 percent of his commission because he would not back down on the French Coat of Arms but did back down on male nudity

Find out about a well-known artist who had been Rodin's assistant, his work was dismissed & he was insulted by the center's management. He sued the center & won. Later members of the Rockefeller family personally contacted him & commissioned him for three wood statues still a part of Rockefeller Center

Find out about another world-famous artist who had his work destroyed by Rockefeller Center

We will see the works of such widely acclaimed sculptors & painters as:

Lee Lawrie 1890 - 1970, was the in house sculptor for Rockefeller Center with over 8 works including: "Atlas"; "Wisdom, Knowledge, Light and Sound". He received: the "Gold Medal" from the AIA; a "Medal of Honor" from the Architectural League of N. Y. Laurie has works at West Point, U.S. Military Academy; St. Thomas Church: Church of St. Vincent Ferrer & many others

Paul Manship 1885 - 1966, has exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; The Woodrow Wilson Memorial; The Detroit Art Institute; the Art Institute in Chicago, and works at the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland and at the Musee de Luxembourg in Paris, France and more

Jose Sert 1876 - 1945, was the son of an affluent textile industry family, a Catalan Spanish muralist and a friend of Salvador Dalí. He was particularly known for his grisaille style, often in gold and black. His best known public murals are at the Council Building of League of Nations, Geneva, Switzerland and in the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. Sert had works at The Waldorf Astoria (lost in a renovation), NY and became involved on a personal and private level with the group of artist known as Les Nabis, including Paul Ranson (1864–1909), who had studied at the renowned private Académie Julian, founded in 1868 by painter Rodolphe Julian. The Académie Julian, along with Académie Colarossi, were frequented by both male and female would-be foreign painters, engravers and sculptors including Americans and, unlike the École des Beaux Arts, accepted women as students and allowed them to draw from male nude male models. Many of the nude models gracing today millionaires' homes and the world's museums came, either as students or models or both, from such private, none-too-prudish Paris art schools.

Attilio Piccirili 1866- 1945, Sculptor, Stone Cutter and Modeler, migrated from Italy with his brothers, Orazio and Getulio. They had their studio on E. 142 St.in the Bronx. The Piccirilli brothers are responsible for most of the on-site carving at Rockefeller Center. The brothers were sculptors but also worked as model makers and carvers for other sculptors. They still practiced the ancient stone carving techniques that they brought here from Italy. As a sculptor Attilio Piccirilli has his `Fragilina' at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC; and created, `The Maine Memorial' at Columbus Circle, NY; "Fireman's Memorial" W.100 St. NYC and much more

Leo Lentelli (1879 - 1961) Italian Sculptor, came to the U.S. at the age of 24 and became a naturalized citizen at the age of 34. His works can be found across the U.S. Including works at: The National Academy of Design, NY; Dept. of the Interior, Wash. DC;
Dept of the Interior, Wash. DC; U.S. General Services Administration Wash. DC; Brookgreen Gardens, SC; Oakland Museum CA; 16th Bridge Pittsburg, PA; Cathedral Church of Christ the King, Kalamazoo, MI.

Giacomo Manazu (1908 - 1990) Italian Artist - is best known for his `Standing Cardinals' at St. Peter's Church in Rome, Italy and 1948 won the grand prize for Sculpture' at the Venice Biennial. He is considered the leading figurative sculptor of the 20th century
His works are recognized by Western museums and collectors and also celebrated by the Soviet art world as well. A Roman Catholic, he was a personal friend of Pope John XXIII
and had important liturgical commissions for the Vatican. In the U.S., architect Minoru Yamasaki commissioned Manazu for the statue, Passo di Danza (dance step) at 1 Woodward Ave. building in Detroit.
He also carved the Nymph and Faun at Wayne State University's McGreagor Memorial sculpture garden.

Carl P. Jennewein1890 - 1978, has exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, Arlington Memorial Bridge, Washington D.C., Brooklyn Central Library in NY, Tampa Museum of Fine Arts in Florida, Brookgreen Gardens, SC and more.
Jennewein came to the U.S. in 1907 and became a citizen in 1915. He studied at the Arts Students League in Manhattan and became a Prix de Rome scholar.

Alfred Janniot <1889 - 1996 one of France's leading civic sculptors gained international recognition & awarded the `Chevalier of the Legion of Honor' for his "Tapestry in Stone" in France and more.

Gaston Lachaise 1882 - 1935 - Born in Paris, France he did many nudes that celebrated sex as part of human love. His works are part of the collections at: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC; The Whitney Museum, NYC; The PA Museum of Fine Art, Philadelphia; His work also appears on the old AT&T Building on Broadway and he has works at Rockefeller Center. Much of Lachaise's sculpture was considered beyond good taste - the Rockefellers, Raymond Hood and MOMA are considered ahead of their times because of their support for his work. Much of that credit belongs to Abbey Rockefeller. Lachaise did portraits of Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O'Keeffe, John Deering, and Edward M. Warberg

Frank Brangwin 1867- 1956, In 1885, was the youngest artist to exhibit at the Royal Academy in London and in 1952 was the first living artists to have a one man show at the Royal Academy, London. His canvas "Funeral at Sea" won a gold medal at the 1888 Paris Salon and much more)

Barry Faulkner 1881 - 1966, had exhibits in the National Archives, Washington D.C.; The American Academy in Rome; and has works at the State House in Concord New Hampshire; & the state capitol in Salem, Oregon: plus inspiring, dramatic murals in buildings in New York, Washington, Rochester, Hartford & Andover.

Hildreth Meiere 1893 - 1961, has works in St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City; the House and Senate wings of the U.S. Capitol, the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C., and at one Wall St.

Carl Milles, 1875 - 1955, worked as an assistant of Roden, became Director of the Sculpture Dept. of Cranbrook School in Michigan, Ohio. His works include: "The Fountain of the Muses" at: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y.; & the "Saint Louis Fountain" (The Meeting of the Waters) in St. Paul, Minnesota

Isamu Noguchi 1904 - 1994, has works at exhibited at: Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Whitney Museum; The Museum of Modern Art in NY; and there is a Noguchi Gardens in Long Island City & The Red Cube at the entrance to 140 Broadway & the Sunken Plaza Rock Garden at 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, Pine St & rock gardens across the world.

Michio Ihara 1928 - , is self described as an architectural sculptor and works with abstract forms in steel and brass using light, shadows and movement as elements. His first one-man show was in Manhattan at Staempfli Gallery that used to be at 47 E. 77 St. Ihara has received architectural commissions in Japan, New Zealand, and dozens of locations in the U.S.

Rene P. Chambellan 1893 - 1985, American sculptor, studied at Ecole des Beaux-Arts and Academie Julian in Pairs and with Solon Borglum in New York city. Chambellan specialized in architectural sculpture and a foremost practitioner of what was known as the French Modern style (Zig-Zag Moderne or Art Deco) His works are at Rockefeller Center, Radio City, Channin Bldg., Majestic Apts. Daily News Bldg. Kings County Hospital, NY Life Insurance Bldg.

Dean Cornwell 1892 - 1960, Exhibited at: the Whitney Museum; The Chicago Arts Institute; The Royal Academy in London; the National Academy of Design in New York City & at the 1939 World's Fair; Cornwell illustrated the popular novels: The Robe in 1947 & The Big Fisherman in 192 by Lloyd Douglas

Some Highlights, Information & Pictures Include:

Controversies connected to Rockefeller Center's art works:

We will see the works of such widely acclaimed sculptors & painters as: