SkyscraperPage Forum - Buildings with caryatids & atlantes (sculpted human architectural features)

SkyscraperPage Forum (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/index.php)

- Buildings & Architecture (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=397)

- - Buildings with caryatids & atlantes (sculpted human architectural features) (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=192662)

Buildings with caryatids & atlantes (sculpted human architectural features)

Caryatids are sculpted representations of human females that are incorporated onto the facade of buildings as supports for other elements directly above. They are different from statues, which are purely decorative, in that they form part of the structure of the building, or at least appear to do so. These, while awesome, don't qualify. Caryatids were popular in ancient Greece and seem to have enjoyed a brief comeback about 100 years ago. When they're male instead of female they are called atlantes.

I think both the female and male versions are completely beautiful. If we can manage to keep the thread mature, I'd love to see examples from around the world, both of the sculptures and how they are incorporated onto their buildings.

MPK's awesome Detroit thread from a few days ago featured these pictures of the caryatids on the Book Building, which was the impetus for this thread:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_1398.jpg
Photo by MPK.

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_1399.jpg
Photo by MPK.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/...24985758_b.jpg
Photo by flickr user Wade Bryant.

These are from a building in downtown Pittsburgh. I don't know its name. They're my own pictures.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3481/...93d2f80c_o.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/...9faa6202_b.jpg

And this from Balboa Park, San Diego (my pictures).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/...1c8d66fe_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/...88ef9e25_b.jpg

reading the thread title reminds me of fort garry place in winnipeg, but the statues there are purely ornamental

Of course, the most famous caryatids are those of the Erectheum on the Acropolis in Athens. these ladies have got to have some sore-ass backs by now, considering they've been supporting that stone above them for ~2,400 years now.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...heum_porch.jpg
source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...heum_porch.jpg

The Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago (originally built as the fine arts hall for the World's Columbian Exposition) has porches with caryatids intended to echo those of the Erectheum

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zJpnTu57Ko...i-MSI-050b.jpg
source: http://chicago-architecture-jyoti.bl...caryatids.html

Not only should there be more caryatid architecture, IMHO someone should build them on a far more colossal scale. It would be awesome if an entire face of a skyscraper were dominated by such a figure.

@ skyscrapersofnewyork: i don't see any caryatids in that picture of the palace at versailles. caryatids are not just applied sculpture, they are structural elements of the building.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan (Post 5353727)

@ skyscrapersofnewyork: caryatids are not just applied sculpture, they are structural elements of the building.

In that case, only the Erechtheion and its copy at The Museum of Science & Industry are counting. Everything else shown so far is pure decoration!;)

Book Building looks like if it would be a structural element, but in fact its right behind the caryatids.

^ caryatids don't necessarily have to literally be a structural element of a building, but at a minimum they must at least APPEAR to be structural. none of the applied sculpture shown in that picture of versailles meets that requirement.

There's an old fire house in Philly that had some... but may be more appropriately considered gargoyles.

http://gallery.pictopia.com/philly/g...o/3556032/?o=0

Aesthetically speaking, the caryatids don't do anything for me. Maybe it's poor execution or my lack of education preventing me from appreciating them more... The atlantes, on the other hand, are far more impressive in every example I come across in a google search.

The Morton Building, 538 S. Dearborn, Chicago
1896, Jenney & Mundie
now the Wyndham Blake Hotel

http://i51.tinypic.com/b6c5n5.jpg

An architectural adage says that every classical column is an anthropomorphic metaphor, possessing a foot, body and capital (literally a "head").

Is that Michael Graves? Yuck. He did a much better job on the Swan and Dolphin, which are fun without being too figurative or pastiche-y.

inhabitant just featured a story of these caryatids at St. Pancras New Church, London which had it's crypt turned into a gallery. Apparently they have an iron column within according to wikipedia.

link

Here's a sort-of caryatid example from 155 Sansome in San Francisco:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/S7NHjo.jpg

Photo taken by geomorph in 2011.