August 18, 2004
Busts of Mystery
Category: Architecture
Washington: One really shouldn't put intricate architectural details where no one will ever see them. At the National Building Museum, which is otherwise a phenomenal establishment, there are at least 200 marble busts located far, far above the floor in the main atrium. I havn't the faintest idea who they are, nor do I suspect, does anyone else. Even with binoculars it would be difficult to identify these lonely folks.
Posted by Nick at August 18, 2004 05:37 PM
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Putting architectural elements where nobody can see them has been done for a long time. When you mentioned these busts, I immediately thought _gargoyles_ (or, for the computer literate, _fortune cookies_)
Go on the tour! They are made of plaster models, not marble. There are eight uniques busts up there which are repeated around the top. They represent the contributing professions at that time the Pension building was contructed. One of the busts is the architect who designed the building. It was a low budget project at that time which turned out to be one of the greatest monuments in DC.
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Putting architectural elements where nobody can see them has been done for a long time. When you mentioned these busts, I immediately thought _gargoyles_ (or, for the computer literate, _fortune cookies_)
Posted by: David Parsons on August 26, 2004 12:32 PM