Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is a world class aquarium.  Visiting the Shedd is very special to me.  Beyond the spectacular collection of marine life that the aquarium has in their collection, what makes the Shedd so incredible for me begins right at the front doors.  The carved marble door surround in the photo above hints at the aquatic fantasies in stone, bronze, terra-cotta, and plaster about to overwhelm you as you enter these doors.  You can check out the aquariums website here.  Click on images to enlarge.

John Shedd of Marshall Field department store fame donated 2 million dollars in 1924 to establish a world class aquarium in Chicago with “the greatest variety of sea life under one roof.”   The photo above shows a Greek key motif with a crab in the center supporting a huge tableau of sea-life all carved out of marble including two moray eels about to devour a crustacean.   It is interesting to think of the differences between design motifs of modern aquariums compared to this great 1920s example.  I doubt stone carved eels enjoying their meals would be considered an “appropriate” design element for young audiences today.   I am very thankful the architects of the Shedd thought differently.

This is an early postcard of the Shedd showing its Classical Greek architectural style.  Construction of the Shedd started in 1927 and was officially opened to the public in May of 1930.  Click on images to enlarge.

Bronze doors and wall panels with aquatic motifs.

Detail image of the vent panels between the doors.  Shells, coral, starfish, seahorses, lobsters, and jellyfish frolic together on these panels.  Click on images to enlarge.

Bronze exterior fixture mounted on marble from Georgia.  The fixtures in the Shedd were made by Chicago’s Sterling Bronze Co.  They were known for their fine casting work.

The starfish base of the exterior fixture has amazing detail.

I took these images while visiting Chicago just after Christmas which is why there are holiday decorations in the photos.  The entrance hall has these great octopus hanging bronze and art-glass fixtures.

I noticed this bronze octopus ball light on my first visit to the Shedd many years ago and have never forgotten it.  I keep hoping the prototype for the fixture will show up in some St. Louis house just waiting for me to discover it and move it into my house.  “Hope springs eternal,” according to Alexander Pope.

Bronze stingray sconce supporting an art-glass nautilus shell light.

Close-up image of the stingray sconce.  The craftsmanship in the bronze work at the Aquarium is really exceptional.

The bronze and glass clock was in a very dark area and hard to photograph but still worthy of showing here.  The “greatest variety of sea life”  that John Shedd spoke of is clearly exemplified here in this large clock hanging from bronze dolphins.

Glazed cast plaster border panel with shell motif.

These large fixtures remind me of theater lights from the same period.  The bronze and glass lights feature reverse glass hand-painted panels with everything aquatic, including a frog, a sea tortoise, as well as other assorted sea-life.

These colorful fish tiles were custom made by Pewabic Pottery Company.  Pewabic art pottery is well known to Arts and Crafts period collectors.  Pewabic also produced architectural ornamentation for public and private institutions in the early 20th century.  These tiles bring a nice bit of color and whimsy in an otherwise monochromatic Classical interior.  Mary Chase Perry Stratton was one of the founders of Pewabic pottery.  Her designs were used extensively throughout the Shedd Aquarium.

The “Trident of Poseidon”  takes center-stage with an assortment of aquatic and nautical motifs on the overdoor pediment.  Elaborate bas-relief plasterwork was used throughout the beaux arts interior.  I would venture a guess that the English and Italian craftsmen using shell motifs in the 17th and 18th centuries would approve of John Shedd’s vision of a world class aquarium structure worthy of the city of Chicago.  It’s like being in one really large European grotto except with the addition of many, many loud and exuberant children. Click on images to enlarge.

Tags: Arts and Crafts, Beaux Arts, Bronze fixtures, chicago, John Shedd, Pewabic Pottery, Shedd Aquarium, Shells

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