Lorado Taft Midway Studios facts for kids
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Lorado Taft Midway Studios
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View from northeast.
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 Location in Chicago metropolitan area
Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | South Ingleside Ave. and E. 60th St., Chicago, IL |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Lorado Taft, Pond and Pond |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000317 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 21, 1965 |
The Lorado Taft Midway Studios are a special place where artists used to work. They are located on the campus of the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL. This unique building, made from two old barns and a Victorian house, was the studio of Lorado Taft from 1906 to 1929. Taft was a very important sculptor of his time. Today, this building is a National Historic Landmark and is used by the university's visual arts department.
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What are the Lorado Taft Midway Studios?
The Lorado Taft Midway Studios are a mix of different buildings. They stand on the south side of the University of Chicago campus. You can find them on the west side of South Ingleside Avenue at East 60th Street.
A Unique Building
The building's northern part is a two-story Victorian house. From this house, several one-story sections stretch south. These connect the house to two other two-story barn buildings. One barn has a pointed roof, and the other has a flat, sloping roof.
Long ago, these buildings surrounded an open courtyard. It was open to the west, with a hedge and fence around it. Now, this area has been filled in with more studio space. Inside, the building is like a maze. It has many smaller studio rooms.
Who was Lorado Taft?
Lorado Taft was a famous sculptor. He was born in 1860 and passed away in 1936. He studied art at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1879 and his master's degree in 1880.
After that, Taft went to Paris in the 1880s to continue his art studies. He came back to Chicago in 1885. In 1886, he started teaching at the Art Institute of Chicago.
In 1906, Taft moved his main art studio. He chose a brick barn near the Midway Plaisance. Later, he added two wooden barns to the main building. These were used as places for his students to live. The architectural company Pond and Pond helped redesign the building. It was made to have 13 studios for Taft and other sculptors.
A Historic Landmark
The Lorado Taft Midway Studios are very important. They were named a National Historic Landmark on December 21, 1965. This means the building is recognized for its special history. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
This building was one of the first four places in Chicago to be listed on the National Register. The others were Chicago Pile-1, Hull House, and Robie House. On December 1, 1993, it was also named a Chicago Landmark.
Today, the building is still used for art. It is home to the university's Department of Visual Arts. It also houses the Creative Writing program. The studios have been updated. They are now classrooms, offices, and studios for students and teachers.
Gallery
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Entrance
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View from southeast
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Lorado Taft working on his sculpture Fountain of the Great Lakes in 1913 at his Midway Studios.
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Lorado Taft Midway Studios (red rectangle) is just south of the Midway Plaisance. Fountain of Time (red oval) is in the southeast part of Washington Park. (Chicago Park District in green, University of Chicago in pink)
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