Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Nearby 39.948300,-75.144185

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United States Custom House
Ritter and Shay (Architect), 1932
* people sitting and kneeling, face, farming, navigation, and artist tools, ship, buildings, rope, ox and bison, staff, food, birds, globe, plants, dolphin border
* Whole building. South side of Chestnut, West of 2nd.
* 39.948300,-75.144185 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org Ritter and Shay page

Welcome Park
Venturi, Scott Brown (and Rauch), 1982
* Tribute to William Penn
* big map, standing person wearing a hat, house
* Welcome Park is laid out on a giant map of the original street plan, with miniature representations of two objects related to William Penn - the City Hall statue and his original slate-roof house. The Park itself sits on the site of the house. Two walls around the park contain a biography of Penn, and his farewell address to the city is on the back of the base of the model of the statue. At the time Welcome Park was built, the firm was named Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown.
* The original City Hall statue: William Penn
* inscription:
house:
This model design was created from available knowledge of the
SLATE ROOF HOUSE
ground:
Of all the many places I have seen in the world, I remember not one better seated: so that it seems to me to have been appointed for a town.
The names of the streets are mostly from the things that grow in the country, as Vine Street, Mulberry Street, Chestnut Street, and the like.
* Plaza. East side of Second Street between Chestnut and Walnut.
* 39.947300,-75.143975 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+ushistory.org page for this piece
+venturiscottbrown.org
+wikipedia.org's William Penn page

Washington Crossing the Delaware
Guangxi Qihe Bronze Studio, Emanuel Leutze, Dr. QiongZhao (Ellen) Schicktanz, 2017 (installed)
* Full figure relief of George Washington
* small people, mostly seated, some standing, hats, weapons, flag, boat with oars, clouds, horses
* inscription: (partial)
This bronze sculpture replicates the famous painting, Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze. It depicts Gen. George Washington leading the Continental Army on a dangerous nighttime crossing of the Delaware River on December 25, 1776 to attack Hessian troops stationed at Trenton. His attack was a final, desperate effort to gain a victory after months of defeats had reduced the Army to a small, exhausted, and demoralized force. Washington's success at Trenton reinvigorated the American cause and kept the Revolution alive.
The painting captures the drama, danger, and desperation of the river crossing, even though a number of details are historically inaccurate, such as the type of boat. The artist, Emanuel Luenze, grew up and was trained in Philadelphia, but created the painting in 1850 after he returned to his native Germany. The painting was a sensation when it was displayed in America the following year.
The sculpture is a donation from Dr. QiongZhao (Ellen) Schicktanz, a naturalized Asian-American artist, in gratitude for her life as an American Citizen.
* North wall. Museum of the American Revolution. South side of Chestnut, East of 3rd.
* 39.948495,-75.145650 [map] [nearby]
* On the Old City tour
* Exhibits: War
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Emanuel Leutze page
+americangoddessartmuseum.com (Ellen Schicktanz)
+wikipedia.org's George Washington page
+amrevmuseum.org

The Arsenal of Independence
Robert A. M. Stern Architects, 2017
* Reference to Benjamin Flower
* cannon barrels, sign
* inscription: (partial)
Imagine this neighborhood filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of war. Philadelphia's tradesmen and women produced muskets, cannon, ammunition, wagons, ships, uniforms and flags that helped to win American Independence. In 1775, hat maker Benjamin Flower lived just a block from where you are standing. He joined the Revolutionary cause and became Commissary General of Military Stores for the Continental Army.
* in front of the Museum of the American Revolution. Southeast Corner, 3rd and Chestnut.
* 39.948525,-75.145935 [map] [nearby]
* On the Old City tour
* Exhibits: War
* See also:
+ramsa.com
+Orders to Benjamin Flower from George Washington
+amrevmuseum.org

Eagle
Claudius F. Le Grand and Sons, 1797
* eagle, food, shield and arrows, olive branch
* Pediment. First Bank of the United States. West side of 3rd between Chestnut and Walnut.
* 39.948050,-75.146250 [map] [nearby]
* On the Old City tour
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's First Bank of the United States page

Eagle
* small eagle, arrows, olive branch
* Gate. South side of the First Bank of the United States. West side of 3rd between Chestnut and Walnut.
* 39.947900,-75.146350 [map] [nearby]
* On the Old City tour
* Exhibits: Unidentified
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's First Bank of the United States page

Irish Memorial
Glenna Goodacre, 2002 (opened late 2003)
* small group of people standing, lying and sitting, grave stones, crosses, shovel, part of a ship, luggage, cane, hats
* Was on the Southeast corner, Front and Chestnut. Moved late 2023 through early 2024. Pictures are from the original location.
* inscription: (excerpt)
Remembrance
The hunger ended
but it never went away
It was there in silent memories,
from one generation
to the next,
The time to take away
the silence has come,
to commemorate,
to mourn what was lost
to celebrate what survives -
without apology or fear.
We have it in our power
not only to remember
what took place but to relive it...
To find in the hungry and lost,
not a different race...
but the faces of our ancestors...
An image of ourselves.
-Peter Quinn
* Southwest corner of Foglietta Plaza. Northeast corner of Spruce and 38th Parallel Place.
* 39.947850,-75.142050 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* Exhibits: Favorites, Moved
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Glenna Goodacre page

Lions
John D. Battin, Jr., Henry Fiorelli, 1838 (reported year of installation)
* lions
* At the top of the two staircases. East side of the Philadelphia Exchange. North side of Walnut, East of 3rd.
* 39.947125,-75.145775 [map] [nearby]
* On the Old City tour
* See also:
+phillyhistory.org 1915 picture with this piece visible
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Philadelphia Exchange page

Ritz Screen
William Daley, 1978
* big abstract form
* East wall. Ritz 5. West side of Dock, South of Walnut between 2nd and 3rd.
* 39.946550,-75.145300 [map] [nearby]
* On the Society Hill tour
* See also:
+williamdaley.net

National Monument to Scottish Immigration
Terry Jones, 2011
* standing people, dog, hats, weapons, staff, sitting people, furniture, books, scrolls and quills, buildings, horses, carts, trunks, clouds, ships, symbols, logos, and insignia, parts of people, lion, birds
* This piece is listed under many different names. The name shown here is from the standrewsociety.org. Was on the East side of Front, South of Chestnut. Moved late 2023 through early 2024. Pictures are from the original location.
* inscription: (excerpt)
This monument to Scottish Immigrants seeks to provide a broad perspective on the rise and movement of the Scots over many continents and centuries. On either side of this Monument you will find Standing Stones which will assist you in understanding this ancient and ongoing process. The Standing Stones are part of the landscape and history of all the Celtic lands. Many remain in Scotland today. While the original purpose of these stones is not known, it is believed they served a spiritual purpose, and may have had scientific astronomic significance as well. We have adopted them in the monument as symbolic of Scotland's ancient past.
* Southwest corner of Foglietta Plaza. North side of Spruce at Front.
* 39.947380,-75.142225 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* Exhibits: Moved
* See also:
+standrewsociety.org
+terryjonessculpture.com

Mather and Company Medallions
1917 (year of building expansion)
* kneeling people, boats, water, plants
* South side of Walnut, East of 3rd.
* 39.946975,-75.145850 [map] [nearby]
* On the Society Hill tour
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org entry for the building

Birds in Flight
Joseph J. Greenberg, Jr., 1985
* abstract birds
* Parking lot, North side of Market between Front and 2nd, North of the ramp.
* 39.950175,-75.142850 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* See also:
+nytimes.com Joseph J. Greenberg obituary

Eagle
2001
* bird, tree
* Wall. Southeast corner, 3rd and Walnut.
* 39.946960,-75.146250 [map] [nearby]
* On the Society Hill tour
* Exhibits: Unidentified

Tamanend
Raymond Sandoval, 1995
* Statue of Tamanend
* big standing person wearing a hat, eagle, turtle
* inscription:
In honor of the contributions of Native American Indians - the ancestors, the elders, this generation and the generations to come - this sculpture commemorates Tamanend, a Sakima, of the Lenni-Lenape Nation who resided in the Delaware Valley when Philadelphia or "Coaquannok" was established.
Tamanend stands on a turtle, which represents Mother Earth. The eagle, a reverend messenger of Great Spirit, has a wampum belt in its grasp. This belt recognizes the friendship treaty under the Sackomaxen elm between William Penn ("Mikwon"), Tamanend ("The Affable One") and other leaders of the Lenni-Lenape Nation. It reads "to live in peace as long as the waters are in the rivers and creeks and as long as the stars and moon endure."
Penn dealt with the Lenni-Lenape people when he came to the land given him by the King of England. He bought the land from the Lenni-Lenape through a number of treaties. Tamanend was one of the Sakimas who played a prominent role as a welcoming delegate on Penn's arrival in 1682 and in the early treaties of 1683 and 1692.
Tamanend was considered the patron saint of America by the colonists prior to American Independence. Tamanend day was celebrated annually on May 1st in Philadelphia and bells were rung in his honor.
* Front and Market.
* 39.949735,-75.142000 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* Exhibits: Favorites, Religious
* See also:
+raymondsandoval.com
+wikipedia.org's Tamanend page

Ghost Structures
Venturi, Scott Brown (and Rauch), 1976
* Representation of houses belonging to Benjamin Franklin
* big buildings
* At the time this piece was built the firm was named Venturi and Rauch.
* Franklin Court. Between 3nd and 4th, Market and Chestnut, entrances on Market and Chestnut.
* 39.949650,-75.146525 [map] [nearby]
* On the Old City tour
* See also:
+venturiscottbrown.org
+The Electric Franklin
+ushistory.org's Franklin Court tour page

The Triangle Fire
Frank Bramblett, 1983
* fire, clothing manufacturing tools
* Permanently in shadow and not easy to see.
* South wall of the overhang. East side of 4th, North of Chestnut, behind the security grate.
* 39.949475,-75.147250 [map] [nearby]
* On the Independence Mall tour
* Exhibits: Labor
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire page
+frankbramblett.com