Aug 15, 2007 10:10 am US/Central
Chicago's Landmark Picasso Sculpture Turns 40
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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The Picasso is a beloved icon of the city, and a stop for tourists and art enthusiasts. (File)
One of the most recognizable symbols of Chicago is turning 40 years old on Wednesday.
The Picasso sculpture was dedicated by late Mayor Richard J. Daley on Aug. 15, 1967, in what was then Civic Center Plaza and is now named for the late mayor.
Pablo Picasso never visited Chicago, but about four years before the sculpture was unveiled, he was approached by Chicago architect William Hartmann with an invitation to create a model for a sculpture for the plaza, according to the Chicago Public Library.
Picasso refused a fee for the work, instead giving the design as a gift to the city, the CPL said. The 50-foot, 162-pound sculpture was pre-assembled in Gary, Ind., before being shipped to Chicago, according to the CPL.
When the untitled sculpture was first unveiled, it was roundly criticized.
Late Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko wrote in the Chicago Daily News in 1967 that it had "a long stupid face and looks like some giant insect that is about to eat a smaller, weaker insect. It has eyes that are pitiless, cold, mean."
But over time, the Picasso became a beloved icon of the city of Chicago, becoming a stop for numerous art enthusiasts and kids who slid on its base, and appearing in countless cityscape photos and movies set in Chicago.
Along with the Art Institute lions, the Picasso has also been outfitted with helmets celebrating Chicago sports teams on their victory runs over the years.
For its 40th anniversary celebration on Thursday, the Picasso was bedecked with a birthday top hat.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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