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Carving
Progress
Lee Lawrie with colorist Leon V. Solon
American, born Germany. 1877 - 1963
Above 49th Street entrance
A true icon of the Art Deco style, this bas-relief is allegorical, has bold and flat geometric shapes, strong colors and stylized forms, and, above all, is decorative. The main character is Columbia, the traditional female symbol of America. Here, she is a large athletic figure wearing a simple peasant dress, her face composed and devoid of emotion. She holds the flame of divine fire in one hand, an olive branch, the symbol of peace, in another. The mythological horse Pegasus, the symbol of inspiration, is placed behind her, while an eagle in the foreground symbolizes power.
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