Alfonso Ian Nelli

Published by the Hyde Park Historical Society Grace Green, a freshman at St. Ignatim High School, submitted her project on Alfonso Iannelli to the Chicago 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 ~.~ C) ~!~ -<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 John Lloyd Wright. 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, Frank Lloyd Wright'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: ~.~ S II 11'1 III (:' ( ~ 0 0 " J ~~ "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.

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