1914
Born
Bernard Rosenthal (nicknamed Tony),
in
Highland
Park
,
Illinois
, a suburb of
Chicago
.
1930-32
Attended
sculpture classes at The Art Institute
of Chicago during last two years of
high school.
1932-36
Attended The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor . Decided to become sculptor while taking a sculpture course. Influenced by small plaster reproductions of figures by Alexander Archipenko. Graduated with B.A.
1936
Returned
to
Chicago
and rented a garage for use as a studio. Began giving evening
classes in drawing and sculpture. Contacted
Alexander Archipenko, then living in
Chicago
. Took a sculpture class with him in exchange for casting
in terracotta a series of his semi-abstract
reclining nudes. Worked abstractly for
a short time, encouraged by Archipenko.
1937
Began
carving works in granite and marble.
To improve technique, apprenticed part
time with stonecutter. Worked part time
for the
Chicago
branch of
Saks Fifth Avenue
creating sculptures for display.
1938-39
Designed
and made light fixtures and plaster
decorations for interiors of
Chicago
theatres designed by architect William Pereira and his brother,
Hal Pereira, a designer. Other projects
for William Pereira included "A
Nubian Slave" (1939, Cast Cement,
15 x 5 x 5 feet), Rosenthal's first
sculpture commission and first large-scale
work. Created for the Elgin Watch Company
building at the
New York
World's Fair of 1939.
1939
Oversaw
the installation of "A Nubian Slave"
at the
New York
World's Fair. Inspired by two fountains in
Chicago
by the well-known figurative sculptor Carl Milles, a sculptor-in-residence
at the recently established Cranbrook
Academy of Art in
Bloomfield Hills
,
Michigan
. Rosenthal wrote to Milles and enrolled at
Cranbrook
. Studied with Milles and become friends with the designer
Charles Eames and the architect Eero
Saarinen.
1940
Returned
to
Chicago
and continued carving in stone.
Participated
in his first group exhibition, "51st
Annual Exhibition of American Paintings
and Sculpture", The Art Institute
of Chicago (Mother and Child, granite).
1941
Showed
the Hands of Moses, "45th Annual
Exhibition of Works by Artists of
Chicago
and Vicinity", The Art Institute of
Chicago
. Rosenthal’s first work to enter a museum,
Illinois
State
Museum
,
Springfield
.
Produced
Wall of Time (bronze plate, 10 x 8 feet),
a relief and his second work of public
sculpture,
Museum
of
Science
and Industry,
Chicago
.
Spent
several months in
Oaxaca
,
Mexico
, and further south; journeyed by foot, sketching and collecting
Pre-Columbian art.
Called
back to
Chicago
for WW II draft but declared 4F because of a disease contracted
in
Mexico
.
1942
Showed
The Little Prophet (alabaster) at "53rd
Annual Exhibition of American Painting
and Sculpture" and Guitarist (red
Marble) at "46th Annual Exhibition
of Works by Artists of Chicago and Vicinity,"
The Art Institute of
Chicago
.
A
reclining figure in marble selected
for "Artists for Victory, An Exhibition
of Contemporary American Sculpture",
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York.
1943
Attended
Corps of Engineers Officer Candidate
School in
Virginia
after a year in the infantry. Stationed in
England
and commanded a unit consisting mostly of artists working
on topographical models.
Saw
a cast lead figure by Henry Moore at
a gallery in
London
. Visited him in Perry Green,
England
, at the dealer's suggestion. First American soldier to visit
Henry Moore.
1944
Sent
to
Paris
after its liberation to produce models of French, Italian,
and German terrain for use by the U.S.
Army and Air Force. Because of a night
work schedule, able to spend days exploring
Paris
and sketching at Grande Chaumiere, and open studio.
1945
Co-organized
visits by American soldiers to artists'
studios after VE Day through a program
established by a French/American cultural
relations committee. Took groups to
studios of George Braque, Andre Derain,
Le Corbusier, and Constantin Brancusi.
Brancusi
invited Rosenthal and his fellow organizer
to his studio several times and showed
them his methods of working with and
forging tools.
Taught
sculpture for six months in
Biarritz
,
France
at a university set up by the Army to educate GI's waiting
to return to the
United
States
.
1946
Married
Halina Kolowicz, a French resident who
had taken his classes, in
St. Jean-de-Luz
,
France
.
Returned
to
Chicago
in July and discharged from the Army. In the fall, won a
group show competition at Associated
American Artists Galleries,
Chicago
. The prize was a solo exhibition at the gallery (1947).
Moved
to
Los Angeles
in October, encouraged by Charles and Ray Eames.
Frequently
saw Charles Eames and John Entenza,
editor and publisher of Arts & Architecture.
Told Entenza of meeting Henry Moore
and was asked to write an article about
him. Hired by Entenza to lay out editorial
sections and some covers of Arts &
Architecture between 1946 and 1948.
Continued to work intermittently for
the magazine until the early 1960's.
1947
First
solo exhibition, at Pat Wall Gallery,
Monterey
,
California
.
Solo
exhibition at Associated American Artists
Galleries,
Chicago
.
1948
Through
Eames and Entenza, began meeting prominent
architects in
Los Angeles
during a building boom. Commissioned over the next twelve
years by a number of them to do sculptures
for buildings they were designing in
Los
Angeles
and elsewhere.
With
wife, Halina designed a home and studio
in
Malibu
.
1949
Carved
wood relief’s on aspects of drilling
and refining for the
General
Petroleum
Building
,
Los
Angeles
.
1950
Received
first prize at "69th Annual Exhibition
of Painting and Sculpture," San
Francisco Museum of Modern Art (The
Harp Player, bronze), and a purchase
prize for the same piece in a group
show of
Los
Angeles
artists,
Los Angeles
County
Museum
.
First
New York
solo exhibition at Associated American Artists Galleries.
Solo
exhibition, organized by the Western
Museum Directors Association, traveled
to three museums in
California
, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Santa Barbara Museum
of Art (1952), Long Beach Museum of
Art (1952).
1951
Participated
in "American Sculpture 1951,"
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York (The Three Musicians, bronze),
and in "146th Annual Exhibition,"
Pennsylvania
Academy
of the Fine Arts,
Philadelphia
(Crucifixion, bronze)
1952
Created
a fountain for Robinson’s Department
store,
Beverly
Hills
,
California
. Life magazine (April 6, 1953) ran an article on Rosenthal
that included photographs of this work
and one other.
Joined
Catherine Viviano Gallery
,
New York
.
First
instructor of sculpture at
University
of
California
,
Los
Angeles
.
1953
First
solo exhibition at
Catherine Viviano Gallery
,
New York
.
Participated
in “Annual Exhibition of Contemporary
American Sculpture”,
Whitney
Museum
of American
Art
,
New York
.
1955
Installed
The Family Group at
Police
Facilities
Building
,
Los
Angeles
,
California
.
Commissioned
to create an outdoor wall sculpture
and a menorah for
Temple
Emanuel
,
Beverly
Hills
,
California
.
Participated
in “Ill Bienal de Arte”,
Sao
Paulo
,
Brazil
.
1956
Home
and studio in
Malibu
destroyed by fire. Sculptures lain outside survived but with
a flame-induced color. These were shown
in a solo exhibition at
Viviano Gallery
,
New
York
in 1959. Part of the exhibition traveled to the Carnegie
Institute,
Pittsburgh
.
1957
Exhibited
in “LXII American Exhibition: Paintings”,
The Art Institute of
Chicago
.
1958
Installed
Computer Symbols at IBM’s western headquarters,
Los Angeles
,
California
. The work was based on an oscilloscope pattern from a digital
computer.
Participated
in “Contemporary American Sculpture”,
Exposition universelle et internationale
de Bruxelles
,
United
States
Pavillion,
Brussels
.
Second
show at
Viviano Gallery
,
New
York
.
1959
Participated
in “Recent
Sculpture
,
USA
”, The
Museum
of
Modern
Art
,
New York
. The exhibited sculpture was selected for acquisition by
the museum’s director, Rene d’Harnoncourt
and James Thrall Soby, advisor to and
chairman of the trustees’ Committee
on Museum Collections.
Went
to
New York
for the exhibition and stayed three months. Met
New York
artists such as Herbert Ferber, Adolph Gottlieb, Mark Rothko
and Richard Stankiewicz.
For
Computer Symbols (see 1958), received
the Award of Merit for outstanding craftsmanship
in the fine arts from the Southern California
Chapter of the A.I.A.
1960
Third
exhibition at
Viviano Gallery
,
New
York
.
Awarded
a Tamarind Fellowship from the Tamarind
Lithography Workshop,
Los Angeles
,
California
, directed by Judy Wayne and worked in collaboration with
master printers to create black and
white abstract lithographs.
Moved
from
Los Angeles
to
New
York
.
Until 1990, spent nearly every summer
in Springs,
New York
, on
Long Island
.
1961
First
show at
Kootz Gallery
,
New
York
.
Sam
Kootz persuaded Rosenthal to use his
nickname “Tony” professionally.
1962
Participated
in “Art Since 1950, American and International”,
Seattle
World’s Fair,
Washington
, where he also served as a juror for an international competition
for a large fountain.
Included
in “157th Annual Exhibition”,
Pennsylvania
Academy
of
Fine
Arts
,
Philadelphia
and in “Annual Exhibition 1962: Contemporary Sculpture and
Drawings”,
Whitney
Museum
of American
Art
,
New York
. Two Sculptures acquired by the Whitney.
1963
Showed
at “Eleventh Exhibition of Contemporary
American Painting & Sculpture 1963”,
Krannert
Art
Museum
,
University
of
Illinois
, Urbana-Champaign. The Museum purchased the work using a
grant from the Ford Foundation.
Second
solo at
Kootz Gallery
,
New
York
.
Commissioned
to make two wall-like sculptures
Gateway
Buildings
,
Century
City
,
Los
Angeles
.
1966
Third
and last solo exhibition at
Kootz Gallery
,
New
York
, followed by the retirement of Sam Kootz.
Solo
exhibition at Guild Hall,
East Hampton
,
New
York
.
Joined
M. Knoedler &
Co. Gallery
,
New
York
.
Included
in “Sculpture and Painting Today: Selections
from the Collection of Susan Morse Hilles”,
Museum
of
Fine Arts
,
Boston
.
Participated
in a group exhibition organized by The
American Federation of Arts that traveled
to Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston;
Denver Art Museum, Colorado; Albright-Knox
Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Milwaukee
Art Museum, Wisconsin.
1967
“
Alamo
”
installed at
Astor
Place
as
part of “Sculpture in Environment”,
a citywide temporary installation of
approximately twenty-five public sculptures,
sponsored by the New York City Administration
of Recreation and Cultural Affairs and
organized by Doris C. Freedman, then
Special Assistant for Cultural Affairs.
In response to requests by members of
the immediate community, the sculpture
remained in place and was given to the
city by Susan Morse Hilles and the artist.
“
Alamo
”
was one of the first abstract sculptures
permanently installed in
New
York
and is
currently one of five works by Rosenthal
in outdoor public locations in
Manhattan
.
Recipient
of the Outstanding Achievement Award,
The
University
of
Michigan
,
Ann Arbor
.
1968
“Endover”
installed at the
University
of
Michigan
,
Ann Arbor
.
First
solo exhibition at
Knoedler
Gallery
,
New York
.
Included
in “1968 Annual Exhibition: Contemporary
American Sculpture”,
Whitney
Museum
of American
Art
,
New York
.
One of eight times that he has shown
at the Whitney.
1969
Commissioned
to make a freestanding steel wall for
the entrance to the art department campus,
California
State
University
,
Fullerton
,
California
.
“Rondo”
commissioned for area in front of an
office building,
110
East 59th Street
,
New York
.
Later placed in front of the
127
East 58th Street
branch of the New York Public Library.
1970
Created
“Kepaakala (Sun Disc)”, commissioned
by the
Financial
Center
of the Pacific,
Honolulu
,
Hawaii
.
1971
“Odyssey
I”, included in the “11 Biennale Middelheim
Antwerpen”, Open Air Museum of Sculpture
Middelheim,
Antwerp
and acquired by the museum.
1972
Installed
a stainless steel column at the Sunrise
Mall,
Massapequa
,
New York
.
Alexander Lieberman, Sylvia Stone and
Stanley Landsman also installed sculptures.
“Cube
‘72”, installed in front of Guild Hall,
East Hampton
,
New York
.
“Memorial
Cube”, installed at Connecticut College,
new London, Connecticut, in honor of
Dene Laib Ulin, Class of 1952.
1973
Began
the installation of “5in1” at
Police
Plaza
,
New York
.
1974
With
John Chamberlain, Dimitri Hadzi and
others participated in the Oregon International
Sculpture Symposium, which was sponsored
by the National Endowment for the Arts
and organized by Sculpture Associates
in
Eugene
.
Constructed an outdoor sculpture with
the assistance of young sculptors.
Commissioned
by the architect Minoru Yamasaki to
create a brass ark, a walnut wall to
stand behind it and a menorah in brass
for Temple Beth El,
Bloomfield
Hills
,
Michigan
.
1975
“Odyssey
II” acquired by Yale university,
New
Haven
,
Connecticut
.
Received
the Fine Art Award for “5 in 1”,
One
Police Plaza
,
New
York
, from the
Design in Steel Award Program, American
Iron and Stell Institute,
Washington
,
D.C.
1977
A
Holocaust memorial commissioned by the
Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo,
Getzville
,
New York
.
“Hammarskjold”,
constructed at
Hammarskjold
Plaza
,
Second Avenue
and
47th Street
,
New York
.
Acquired by the Fashion Institute of
Technology,
New
York
(1978).
Second
solo exhibition at Knoedler gallery,
New York
,
featuring works constructed with structural
steel and inspired by the engineering
design of the inner structure of “5
in 1”.
1978
Transcending,
above, acquired by The Solomon R. Guggenheim
Museum, New York.
Participated
in a panel discussion, “Fifty Years
of American Sculpture”,
Sculpture
Center
,
New York
.
1980
Constructed
and installed “Element ‘H’ x 5” in the
gymnasium of P.S. 1 (The Institute for
Art and Urban Resources),
Queens
,
New York
.
The work was later placed in the courtyard
where it stayed for five years.
“Steelpark”
installed at 80th Street
and First Avenue
,
New York
,
Commissioned by Jack Resnick & Sons,
builders.
Solo
exhibition of Maquette’s and installation of “Cranbrook Ingathering”,
Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum,
Bloomfield
Hills
,
Michigan
.
Spoke at
Cranbrook
on the making and enlarging of Maquette’s.
Lectured
on contemporary sculpture, Empire State
Mall,
Albany
,
New York
.
1981
Constructed
“Bronco”, atrium of an office building,
1010 Lamar,
Houston
,
Texas
.
1982
Commissioned
by the City of
New
York
to design
and execute the annual Doris C. Freedman
Award, given by the mayor to a person
or organization for significantly enriching
the public environment. Executed fifteen
copies of the brass Maquette for “
Alamo
”,
which Freedman had installed at
Astor
Place
(see
1967).
1983
Commissioned
by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority
to make a 14 foot high version of Odyssey
for a public park next to
Metropolitan
Hospital
.
Designed
a version of “Steelpark” as a commission
for the Culmer Metro-Rail Station,
Miami
.
Participated
on a panel about public sculpture, Indianapolis
Museum of Art, Indiana and on a panel
about new sculpture, along with Louise
Nevelson, Carl Andre and moderator Sam
Hunter,
Princeton
University
,
New
Jersey
.
Commissioned
by collector Martin Z. Margulies to
construct a CorTen steel cube. Installed
originally at Grove Isle, Miami. Currently
on loan to Florida International University,
Miami.
Participated
in “Design in America: The Cranbrook
Vision 1925-1950”, which traveled to
The Detroit Institute of Arts (1983-84);
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York, (1984); Suomen Taideteollisuusyhdistys,
Helsinki, Finland (1984); Musee des
arts decoratifs, Paris (1984-85); Victoria
and Albert Museum, London (1985).
1984
Created
a bronze disc, commissioned by Florence
Knoll Bassett for the lobby of Southeast
National Bank,
Miami
,
Florida
.
Received
an Award in Art and participated in
“Work by Newly Elected Members and Recipients
of Honors and Awards”, American Academy
and Institute of Arts and Letters, New
York.
Performed
in Ubu Repertory Theater’s production
of Pablo Picasso’s play Catch Desire
by the Tail, the Solomon R. Guggenheim
Museum, New York. The cast included:
Beverly Pepper, June Wayne, Philippine
de Rothschild, David Hockney, Louise
Bourgeois, Red Grooms, Francoise Gilot
and Jack Youngerman.
1986
Participated
in a sculpture exhibition at Millesgarden,
Lidingo, Sweden
1987
Adopt
a Monument, a program sponsored by the
Municipal Art Society,
New
York
, led to
the refurbishing of “
Alamo
”
by Lippincott, the fabrication company
in
North Haven
,
Connecticut
,
that originally fabricated the sculpture.
1988
Joined
Galerie Denise Rene, Paris and had a
solo exhibition.
“Element
‘H’ x 5” and four other sculptures moved
to Top Gallant, a private sculpture
farm in Pawling, New York, belonging
to art dealer Andre Emmerich. Those
works and others that followed remained
on long-term loan.
Installation
of “Pass-Thru”, Hofstra University,
Hempstead, New York.
1989
East
Hampton Village Design Review Board
resolved that no additional work besides
Rosenthal’s “Cube’72”, placed in front
of Guild Hall in 1972, could be installed
on
Main Street
.
Received
honorary doctorate from Hofstra University,
which commissioned “Pass-Thru” in 1988.
Installed
“Indiana Totem”, atrium, Indiana University
Art Museum, Bloomington. Made horizontally
in Rosenthal’s studio.
1990
Works
from two series, “J.S. Bach Fugue” and
“J.S. Bach Variations”, shown at Maxwell
Davidson Gallery, New York; Cranbrook
Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills,
Michigan; Indiana University Art Museum,
Bloomington (1991).
1991
Commissioned
by collector Kirk Landon to construct
a bench, Coral Gables, Florida.
Halina
Rosenthal passed away after a long illness.
The Rosenthals had been married for
forty-five years.
1994
Solo
exhibition at Jaffe, Baker, Blau Gallery,
Boca Rotan, Florida.
Participated
in a sculpture exhibition, Hakone Open-Air
Museum, Japan. The museum acquired a
bronze cube.
1995
Married
Cynthia Dillon.
1997
Solo
exhibition at Dorothy Blau Gallery,
Miami.
Installed
“J.S. Bach Variation #9”, Ravinia Music
Festival Park, Highland Park, Illinois.
1998
Two
large sculptures, “Cube’97” and a Steel
Bench, acquired by Harry Wilks, founder
of Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Hamilton,
Ohio.
“House
of the Minotaur” acquired by Laumeier
Sculpture Park & Museum,
St.
Louis
,
Missouri
.
A
Bench purchased by American Bankers
Assurance Co., Miami, for the outside
of its building.
1999
“Odyssey
II”, acquired by
Yale
University
in 1975, installed in sculpture
garden
of
Yale University Art
Gallery,
New Haven
,
Connecticut
.
2000
Participated
in the exhibition “Welded! Sculpture
of the Twentieth Century”, Neuberger
Museum of Art, Purchase College, State
University of New York.
2001
Moved to South Hampton. New York.
2005
Tony
Rosenthal's "Alamo", 1967
is unveiled by New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg in a ceremony marking it's
return after being refurbished by the
City's Parks Department.
2006
Tony Rosenthal's "Alamo",
1967 was the Final Visual Clue on 12/10/06
CBS The Amazing Race Season Finale
2009
Tony Rosenthal died at the
age of 94 in his Southampton, NY home
with his Loving wife Cynthia at his
side on July 28, 2009
|