Travel Theme: Statues

Ailsa’s Travel Theme challenge this week on Where’s My Backpack? at http://wheresmybackpack.com/2014/03/28/travel-theme-statues/ is Statues.

Plenty of these in the photo files despite the fact that a camera club judge once told us that images of other peoples’ artwork were not considered good material for competition. Too bad! I like taking pictures of statues!

A life-size bronze sculpture of George Washington Carver in the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis.

An imposing statue entitled ‘The Apotheosis of St. Louis’ that stands outside the St. Louis Art Museum.

Also in the same city, in the grounds of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, is a statue entitled ‘The Angel Of Harmony’, a 14-foot high, stainless steel sculpture by Wiktor Szostalo.

There are countless statues in Chicago of everyone from famous sports personalities to historical figures but for this challenge I have selected just two. The first, on Upper Wacker Drive, is a tribute to newspaper columnist, broadcaster and talk-show host Irv Kupcinet.

The second is a statue of Nathan Hale who was reported to have said “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country” before being executed in 1776 as a spy by the British during the American Revolutionary War.

Although many statues are placed prominently on plinths or columns, I rather like the ones that appear in more natural settings. This sculpture of Abe Lincoln and his family for instance, standing on the street in front of his old law offices in Springfield, Illinois.

Or this bronze statue entitled ‘Spirit of the Prairie’ overlooking the Town Square of Schaumburg.