Art 1010 and Classics 1110, Prof. Simon and Prof. Yarrow, Fall 2017, Site Visit Worksheet Greece and Rome in Manhattan Team Name: _______________________________ Team Leader for the Day:__________________________________ Members sign in below: 1. 4. 2. 5. 3. 6. Team Leader Please Read Aloud Directions to your Team: You must complete this worksheet and hand it in to Prof. Simon or Prof. Yarrow at the end of your tour. You can find us at the statue of George Washington in front of Federal Hall. Buildings may be visited in any order. Your team meeting place and time has been assigned. See website or email. All team members present should take a turn being recorder at least one site. As you conduct your walking tour, you should be on the lookout for FASCES (pronounced ‘fas-KEEYS’). Each member of the team should take a picture of a representation of fasces and post to the class blog with the location of the example and an idea of why this design element might have been used in that location. (tags: fasces, SeeninNYC) What are fasces? Fasces are a symbol of the authority of a Roman magistrate (= elected official). At Rome sovereignty (power) rested with the people. Election and correct religious observance bestowed ability to exercise power on behalf of the people (imperium from which we get our English words, empire and imperial). Fasces were real bundles of rods carried by attendants called 1 lictors. The lictors followed the magistrates everywhere as long as they had imperium. A magistrate could order their lictors to enforce their commands with force, i.e. by using the rods to beat those who did not obey. In military contexts, that is anywhere outside the sacred boundary of the city of Rome (pomerium) the fasces had axes added to them. A real axe was tied into the bundle of rods, this symbolized the ability of the magistrate to order his magistrate to summarily execute anyone who disobeyed. Needless to say these powers were controversial! 2 What do fasces look like? Figure 1 – Roman Denarius with Head of Venus and on reverse ear of wheat, fasces with an axe, and a caduceus (symbol of Mercury, bearer of good news and blessings), 54 BCE (not to scale!) Figure 2 – Roman Denarius with Libertas and consul with lictors carrying fasces with axes, 54 BCE (not to scale!) Figure 3 - Liberty Head Dime, Adolph Weinman, 1916-1945, fasces with axe 3 on reverse (not to scale!) U.S. Custom House, Cass Gilbert, 1907 Bowling Green List all the Greek and Roman architectural forms that you see. You may include drawings if you wish, especially if you’re not sure of the architectural term: Sculptures of the Four Continents are on the building because: How is their inclusion here similar to the function of the sculpture on the Parthenon? Site Recorder:___________________________ City Bank – Farmers Trust building, Cross and Cross, 1930-31 20 Exchange Place, at Beaver Street Walk around the whole perimeter of this building paying close attention to the use of coins as a form of decoration. Describe three of the types of coin designs you see: for example: “On Beaver Street façade on a central window lintel there is a coin with two heads, we can read the following letters Ho KALENI VITR, one of the heads has a hat or helmet, the other has a wreath and longer hair. The faces are classicizing and idealized.” 1. 2. 3. Why do you think coins were chosen as decoration? Why these specific coins? Site Recorder:___________________________ NY Stock Exchange, George B. Post, 1901-3 8-18 Broad Street This building is modeled after: What does the architectural design express about the role of money and finance in New York City? Site Recorder:___________________________ Federal Hall National Memorial, Ithiel Town and Alexander Jackson Davis (interior by John Frazee and Samuel Thompson), 1833-42 26 Wall Street Based on the façade, Federal Hall seems to be modeled after: List at least two formal elements that support your conclusion above: Compared to the Stock Exchange, Federal Hall is: After going inside Federal Hall, did you change your mind? If no, why not? If yes, why? Consider the site design. From which direction/angle is the building meant to be approached? What ancient building does Federal Hall resemble, with regard to its site design? How? Site Recorder:___________________________ American Surety Building, Bruce Price, 1895 100 Bway (across from Trinity Church cemetery, near Pine St) How do the parts of this skyscraper resemble a column? The base is represented by: The shaft is represented by: The capital is represented by: You may sketch a diagram for clarity if you wish. Site Recorder:___________________________ American Telephone and Telegraph Building, Welles Bosworth, 1912-23 195 Broadway (at Dey Street) The ground floor interior resembles the Parthenon because: The space is fundamentally different from the Parthenon because: Site Recorder:___________________________ Now that you’ve concluded your walking tour, how has your perception of ancient buildings and images changed? Additional Comments: Concluding Recorder:___________________________ .