Chicago’s Sculptor, Lorado Taft
Lorado Taft has always intrigued me. When I’m in Chicago I always take time to pay a visit to his “Fountain of the Great Lakes” outside the Art Institute and, of course, there is his former little studio across the street in the Fine Arts Building. The fountain consists of five lovely ladies representing each of The Great Lakes. It was dedicated in 1913 and firmly established Taft as a leader in Chicago’s artistic community. As a teacher, artist, Chicago booster and bohemian, Lorado Taft made his mark on the city by helping to change the way people looked at public sculpture. For more on Taft, see the updated list of Internet links and Timothy J. Garvey’s book, Public Sculptor: Lorado Taft and the Beautification of Chicago.
