Join conservator Andrzej Dajnowski from Conservation of Sculpture and Objects Studio, Rachel Sabino, director of Objects and Textiles Conservation, and Sarah Kelly Oehler, Field-McCormick Chair and Curator of Arts of the Americas, as they discuss the recent conservation of the Michigan Avenue lions.
The museum’s lions have been a fixture of Michigan Avenue since 1894, but years of exposure to the elements altered their appearance. Last summer, for the first time in decades, they were removed from their pedestals for extensive conservation. From steam-cleaning to wax-coating, learn what was done to ensure that the lions will watch over Michigan Avenue for years to come.
A Look at the Lions Over Time
A view of the Art Institute lions from the front lawn, 1895.
The lions outside of the museum, 1900.
The north pedestal lion watches horse-drawn carriages pass during a snowstorm, 1925.
Three women give the the south pedestal lion a good scrub, 1930s.
Postcard featuring the lions, 1933.
A view of the lions facing Michigan Avenue, 1945.
This program is sponsored by
