Published by the Hyde Park Historical Society

Grace Green, a freshman at St. Ignatim High School, submitted her project on Alfonso Iannelli to the Metro History Fair. It was judged the best entry in the Fair that was related to Hyde Park. At the History Fair final awards ceremony, Grace was awarded $100 by Priya Shintpi on behalfofthe Hyde Park Historical Society.

The project which Grace submitted was a large standing exhibit with many pictures and nmch accompanying text. The following essay was put togethe1' from the textllal part 0/ her display by Jay Mulberry. ALFONSO IAN NELLI Board member Priya Shimpi and prize winner Grace Green By Grace Green First Place Winner in the 2004 Hyde Park Historical 1898, an up-and-coming industrial city overwhelmed Society Neighborhood History Contest in gray smoke. Iannelli went to public school but when his father's business collapsed he was forced at As a native of Italy, Iannelli is a classic example of age 13 to leave school. His father arranged an the American Dream. As early as ten years old he had apprenticeship at a jeweler's shop where Iannelli immense desire to work in the arts and America learned to engrave. A special scholarship to the seemed to be the key to ultimate success. From New Newark Technical School made it possible for him to York to Los Angeles and eventually Chicago, his final study there in the evenings and work in the shop resting place, he made an indelible mark across the during the day. In 1906, he won a scholarship for the American landscape. His artistic philosophy was that Art Student League, a first for any student of the held by other famous Chicago architects and artists of Newark School. At seventeen, he moved to New York the time: Organicism. His style however was all his City to study under George B. Bridgman and Gutzon own, a mixed bag of Americana, German, Art Deco, Borglum at the Art Students League. It was then that Prairie and many more. Alfonso Iannelli, although not Iannelli truly realized his gift and began the next well known, had an everlasting effect on the city of phase of his life as a full time artist and student. Chicago and the world through his innovative works. At the Art Students League, Alfonso Iannelli was Alfonso Iannelli was born in Andretta, Province of first given exposure to the New York Art world. His Avelino, 100 miles southeast of Naples, Italy in 1888. day teacher George B. Bridgman's effect on Iannelli Soon after he was born, his father left his young family was impressive. "Masses of about the same size or for America promising to send for them when he proportion are conceived not as masses, but as one became successful. His mother meanwhile stayed at mass; those of different proportions, in respect to their home, running an inn until she received word that movement, are conceived as wedging inro each. The they would be soon going to America, Newark, New effective conception is wedging," Bridgman was often Jersey most specifically. quoted. This firm anatomical style and the concept of At ten years of age, Alfonso Iannelli realized the wedging was seen often in Iannelli's later works first part of his dream, to live in America. His new life including the "Sprites" he sculpted for the Midway was quite a shock, from a sunny southern Italian town Gardens. with simple whitewashed buildings to Newark in It was Iannelli's night teacher, Gurzon Borglum ~8

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-<8 ofMt. Rushmore fame, who had the most The group got along well with Iannelli and asked profound affect on Iannelli and was his first official him to carry our a sculpture commission for the collaborator. Two months after setting foot in New Spreckels Organ Pavilion at the Panama Pacific York City and studying at the Art Students League, Exposition alongside . It was John Iannelli was asked to work directly with Borglum in Lloyd Wright who first exposed Iannelli to his father's his studios. Iannelli jumped at the chance to continue work and eventually it was he who set up the meeting learning from his teacher in a more hands-on between his friend and his father. atmosphere. Borglum's romantic and idealistic style It was on February 12 , 1914, that a Western Union was attractive to Iannelli and, as immigrants drawn to day letter arrived for Iannelli from John Lloyd the American Dream, they both held similar views Wright: "Could you work in Chicago on models for concerning the possibilities of concert garden now under the American West. Indigenous construction if I could arrange American art was a favorite of matters satisfactorily here. Two both, and Borglum once said, or three months building must "The glory that once was Greece. be complete by June tenth." The I would throw it in the Atlantic "concert hall" was Midway Ocean-why? To give the Gardens, 's Americans courage to say what first major public building in they have to say." In his first Chicago. Located in Woodlawn days working at the studio, at the southwest corner of Iannelli proved not only a like Cottage Grove Avenue and East mind, but also a capable artist. Sixtieth Street, the Midway In one year, Iannelli won the St. Gardens was created as a Gaudens prize for sculpture and "concert garden"-a Germanic Borglum's prize in composition, form of architecture consisting of design and sculpture. The both indoor and outdoor climax of his time with Borglum restaurants and a music pavilion. came when he assisted Borglum Entitled the "winter" and on the sculpture for the "summer" gardens, the winter Cathedral of St. John the Divine garden had a covered pavilion for five months. Borglum's final whereas the summer garden had words after the end of the an open band shell. Iannelli's project formed a piece of advice work on the gardens was that would continually ring in extensive and was a turning Iannelli's ears throughout his point in his career. life: "Be simple, listen to your Iannelli was commissioned to own impulses and work, work design multiple sculptures and quietly and thoughtfully." worked along closely with Iannelli's early fascination with Wright to design them. Wright the American West pushed him exchanged his ideas ofJapanese to find employment there rather than move back to and German designs with Iannelli, which helped to Europe. His first major art move was to Los Angeles form the eventual look of the pieces. The most well in 1910 where he taught, and helped to create the known of the pieces Iannelli created, as well as one of School of American Art. His acceptance of a poster the most recognizable symbols of the Gardens, were commission from the Orpheum Vaudeville Theatre Iannelli's Sprites. He also designed the Spindles (small was a "big break". He was commissioned to do four ornaments on the fences surrounding the Gardens, as posters, and as each was produced, his creative ability well as along the inside), the Queen of the Gardens, was revealed. Word spread and a meeting was set up and a drowning form found hidden in the entrance with his next collaborators John Lloyd Wright, Lloyd hall called the Maid of the Mud. Wright (the sons of Frank Lloyd Wright) and Barry During their early meetings, Wright and Ianelli got Byrne (an employee of the Wright studio from 1902­ along well. Wright's unique genius bewitched lanelli 1909). as it had many others:

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"Seeing Mr. Wright's work, the first time, staying at the architectur,d design. Nevertheless, this church is Mr. Wright's home in Oak Park, experiencing the way one of the best illustrations of how successful the I felt in his house, buildings on a winter night snow collaboration between these two men was . Many covered, the romance of this new simple statement of desig n elements of this Church are also seen in St. housing-there was something magic about it. The Xavier in Wilmette. Barry Byrne described this sort of plans for living, at that time new, were awakening me complete collaboration as "being like dancing, with to a new consciousness of what habitation can be to the lead shifting back and forth depending on the humans." specific need. " Iannelli described the same thing in It was not long, however, before their relationship the catalog for his 1925-26 exhibit at the Art became rocky. Debates on design and attribution were Institute as, "the reasonable way is the artistic way. heated. An example of their futile relationship is that Art is the sense of firness. " as Iannelli was working on the Maid of the Mud, Chicago helped Iannelli realize how much he enjoyed Wright secretly ripped off the drop cloth on the Industrial Design. So mllch in fact, that he even tried unfinished sculpture and smashed two holes in the to create his own industrial design school in connection face. Iannelli declared "the whole thing is a failure and with Hull House in 1923. While teaching at the ~e of no sculptural value," blaming the ruination on the architect's meddling. After the completion of the building, Iannelli and Wright exchanged numerous letters debating the attribution of the sculptures. Iannelli, always bi tter about the project, was about to start on a book about the Gardens before his death. Despite his relations with Wright, Iannelli loved Chicago and he and his wife, Margaret, chose to settle in Park Ridge. Margaret was an artist in her own right and her husband's closest collaborator. Their careers took off together but hers ended tragically when she suffered a nervolls breakdown after the death of a child in 1929. She was hospitalized and never released, but she continued to be an influence on Iannelli who brought his commissions to her hospital room and took her advice seriously. After settling in Chicago, Alfonso Iannelli began to work with Barry Byrne who had also worked with Wright on Midway Gardens. Their work between 1923 and 1928 included a series of church and school buildings. The most spectacular of these was the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle in Chicago. The church is located at 5472 South Kimbark Avenue and was built in 1922. The interior of the church is square, as Byrne was opposed to the traditional rectangle found in Church designs. Iannelli helped Byrne to develop his modern design technique eliminating a need for support pillars, giving an unobstructed view from all angles. Iannelli was specifically responsible for some of the external brickwork that was done in a way that helped soften the corners using a zigzag pattern. Iannelli also designed the entrance, which used chevron as well as his modern sculpture. The overall effect gives a Spanish flavor to the exterior. This project did not go smoothly and many parts of S1. Thomas the Apostle Church the building were completed later with no regard to Terra cotta cornice, towers and window settings by Iannelli

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~@) Chicago Art Institute in the the lack of support from the Art same year, he prepared a program for Institute. It was not until 1937 with the establishment of an Industrial the "New Bauhaus" directed by Lazlo Design Department. With that Moholy-Nagy that Iannelli's dreams rejection, Iannelli himself left in 1923 came into fruition­ Chicago in 1924 to tour Europe with regretfully without Iannelli. his good friend Barry Byrne. In 1925 During 1933-34, Chicago was back in Chicago, Iannelli continued preparing for the Century of Progress his work on various industrial design Exhibition. Iannelli designed the five projects with Sunbeam, Eversharp, sculptured reliefs for the Radio Parker, and others. He also designed Entrance to the Social Sciences the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge. Building, the gigantic fair exhibit His philosophy of total design was "Coaster Boy" for the legendary shown in the Pickwick as he helped Chicago wagon company Radio to design many little things in order Flyer, and the Havoline thermometer to achieve the final product. The exhibit, which was on record as the Iannelli studio worked as a team to world's largest thermometer for complete this large-scale job, which many years. He also designed the included the fountain, the murals on Goodyear landing field and lounge the fire curtain and the ceiling (a huge task), organ for the Goodyear blimp, as well as the now very and ventilating grille, and the plaster ornamentation recognizable Sunbeam Coffeemaster made by Chicago all over the building including on the sides of the Flexible Shaft Company for the World of Tomorrow marquee. Iannelli's design philosophy, which relates exhibit. directly to his encounter of both European and Native Throughout the forties, Iannelli concentrated chiefly American art, shows in the Pickwick his tendency to on industrial design for many companies, including honor indigenous American art over the art of his Oster Manufacturing Company. He also made one last birthplace. The Pickwick continues in all its glory collaboration with Barry Byrne on the Church of St. today. It was made a national historic landmark in Francis Xavier in Kansas City Missouri. In 1950, 1975 and is known around the world as the theater in Iannelli received the Industrial Designer's Institute the opening sequence of Ebert and Roeper's At The Award for an Oster Hairdryer. In 1954, he designed Movies television program. the Rock of Gibraltar relief for the Prudential In 1928, Iannelli was invited back to the Art Building in Chicago. His final work, completed in Institute as head of the Department of Design, which 1956, was a sculpture for the Public Welfare Building was this time sponsored by the Association of Arts and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Industries (a group created to help fund programs to Alfonso Iannelli died on March 23, 1965 at the age teach new artists industrial design). Unfortunately in of seventy-seven. Margaret passed away a little over 1930, Iannelli resigned from the program because of two years later.

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Alfonso Iannelli Timeline

• 1888 Born, Andretta, Italy. • 1889 Iannelli family moved to Newark, New Jersey • 1901 Apprenticed as Jeweler, attended Newark Technical School at night • 1906 Won scholarship to Art Students League • 1907 Worked for Gutzon Borglum and opened studio for a short time • 1910 Moved to Los Angeles. Designed theatre posters for Orpheum Vaudeville. Started the School of American Art • 1910-1914 Became collaborator and friend to John Lloyd Wright, Lloyd Wright, Irving J. Gill and Barry Byrne. • 1914 Called to Chicago to collaborate with Frank Lloyd Wright on the Midway Gardens. Began lifelong collaboration with Barry Byrne on J.B. Franke House in Fort Wayne, Indiana Iannelli's designs are found in many places • 1915 Moved permanently to Chicago. Married Margaret Sawyer and opened Iannelli Studios in Conclusion Park Ridge, Illinois • 1916- Early 1920s Continued collaboration with From his exploration of America, his encounter with Barry Byrne on many private homes and churches. American art and artists, to his exchange of Birth of son Alfonso Jr. and daughter Iraene. philosophy with his collaborators, Alfonso Iannelli • 1921 First one-man show at the Art Institute of was a visionary. Although mostly known in Chicago architectural and sculptural circles, the average • 1922 Completed Church of St. Thomas the Apostle American has probably encountered a work produced • 1923 Instructor of Design, Art Institure of Chicago by Iannelli unknowingly. His numerous churches, • 1924 Tour of Europe with Barry Byrne schools, and movie theaters around the country are • 1925 Designed Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge, some of the best examples of prairie, art deco, and art Illinois. One-man show at the Art Institute noveau architecture in the world. In addition, his • 1926 Church of Christ the King completed in industrial designs, pop culture classics such as the Tulsa, Oklahoma with Barry Byrne Sunbeam Coffeemaster, exemplify Iannelli's belief that • 1925-1930s Industrial Design work done for a sculpture should have a purpose as well as a visual variety of companies identity. In Iannelli's search for American art and in • 1927 Interior Design of Carlow Theater in his dismissal of the typical European favoritism, Barrington, Illinois Iannelli's philosophy mirrored the late-nineteenth­ • 1928 Honorary M.F.A., Art Institute of Chicago century movement in architecture personified by • 1928-30 Head of Design Department and Louis Sullivan and continued by Frank Lloyd Wright. Instructor of Design, Art Institute of Chicago Total design, a revolutionary concept not common in • 1933-34 Design of Havoline Thermometer Tower turn of the century architecture, was critical to and Radio Entrance to the Social Sciences Building, Iannelli. His great spirit in sharing ideas helped him World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago. form a better-rounded style-not to mention his • 1940 Last Prairie Style work done on "Fountain of incredible heart which strove for truth, beaury, and Pioneers" in Kalamazoo, Michigan love in all aspects of life and form. • 1950 Won Industrial Designer's Institure Award for Oster Hairdryer • 1954 Designed Rock of Gibraltar Relief for Prudential Building in Chicago • 1965 Died in Patk Ridge, March 23. Unmarked grave, Town of Main Cemetery

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KNOW YOURSELF-KNOW YOUR PAST: THE SOCIETY HONORS YOUNG HISTORIANS

It has been a long time, but in 2004 the Hyde Park Hisrorical Society got back ro the basics-back to the kids and back ro the schools. Working with grants from anonymous donors, the education committee-Board members Priya Shimpi and Jay Mulberry--organized an impressive effort to involve young people in the study of the past of the •• O)l7 L \ " ll1( Hyde Park Community. Late in 2003, they consulted . ~z..', ~ mavens from the long established Metro Hisrory Fair ~ • .t . ; .. about how to do such a thing. They put together rules \ ~ ' and procedures for first Hyde Park Historical Society Neighborhood History Contest. It was open ro students in grades 6-12 in schools within the hisroric Hyde Park Township, or to anyone at all who entered the Chicago Metro History Fair with a project related to Hyde Park. Notification of the contest was faxed or emailed to scores of South Side Schools, and a website (http://hydeparkhisrory.org/contest) was created so the information would be universally accessible. were delivered to the Society late in May and all were In February, Priya Shimpi visited as many schools as evaluated by three different judges. On June 6 a would give her time and talked with students, reception was held for all the entrants, their teachers teachers and principals about the Contest. Entries and parents and awards totaling $300 were distributed among 5 winners. $100 had been given earlier through the Metro History Fair to the best entry in that citywide competition that dealt with a Hyde Park topic. All participants received a certificate and a copy of "The Worlds Fair Game", contributed by its author (and our member) Peter Nepstad. First prize ribbons and a cash award of $100 were given in the categories of Middle School and High School, and Second prize ribbons and a cash award of $50 were given in the same categories. A $100 prize was previously awarded to the outstanding entry in the Metro History Fair relating to the history of the area of the Hyde Park Township. This went ro Grace Green of St. Ignatius College Prep for her superb study of Alfonso Iannelli. A special award was given ro Juan Hernandez of Juarez High School for his project "America's First Serial Killer" since, for technical reasons, his excellent project was ineligible for competition. His prize was a copy of the book "The Devil and the White City" especially dedicated to him by its author, Erik Larson, who contributed the award .

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Participants and Prize Winners: Carla Askew Project: Bronzeville Landmarks North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School Hyde Park Historical Society Metro History Fair Prize Teacher: Darrell Johnson Grace Green Project: Alfonso Iannelli Xavier Hawthorne St. Ignatius College Prep. High School Project: Oak Woods Cemetery Paul Revere Elementary School 1st Place High School Teacher: Jon Lowenstein Theresa Bailey Project: Valois: See Your Food Elisa Kimble South Shore School of Entrepreneurship Project: Harold Washington Teacher: Seth Patner Paul Revere Elementary School Teacher: Jon Lowenstein 2nd Place High School Gary Densmore Jacqueline Lewis Project: Lakefront Homes Project: What Made The Palm Tavern South Shore School of Entrepreneurship North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School Teacher: Seth Pamer Teacher: Darrell Johnson SPecial Recognition High School Portia King Juan Hernandez Project: Bronzeville Night Clubs 1920s-1940s Project: America's First Serial Killer North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School Juarez High School Teacher: Darrell Johnson Teacher: Al Moy Dominique Potts 1st Place Middle School Project: How Bronzeville Has Changed Ciobhan Judith Dunn North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School Project: The Changing of Bronzeville, 1940-1960 Teacher: Darrell Johnson North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School Students of Room 303 Teacher: Darrell J ohoson Project: General Frank C. Brown, Jr. 2nd Place Middle School Powell Academy Jordae Evans, Monique Greyer, Earnest Hale, Teacher: Joseph Rhoiney Shanika Harris Haoxiang Xu Project: Oak Woods Cemetery Project: Hyde Park Paul Revere Elementary School Kenwood Academy Teacher: Kim Campbell Teacher: Ivan Sarudi

Paul Revere Elementary School students and teachers

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This Newsletter is published by the IIyJe Park IItslorlml Socielg Hyde Park Historical Society, a not-for­ COLLECTING AND PRESERVING HYDE PARK'S HISTORY profit organization founded in 1975 to

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