Bronze Sculpture of Balto in Central Park

One of the most photographed statues in Central Park is that of Balto, the real-life Siberian husky who braved severe Arctic weather to deliver antitoxin that saved the lives of children in Nome, Alaska, in a 1925 diphtheria outbreak. Balto actually later visited New York and saw his statue dedicated. The statue was desigend by Frederick G.R. Roth, a well known animal sculptor. A low-relief plaque bears the words “Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxins 660 miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925.”

A 1995 animated movie was based on the heroic exploits of Balto. The Balto sculpture made an appearance in the 1993 movie "Six Degrees of Separation." When a young man (played by Will Smith) shows up at the apartment of a wealthy Upper East Side couple claiming to have been mugged, he said it happened while he was trying to figure out "why there was a statue of a dog who saved lives in the Yukon in the middle of Central Park." The statue is located at East Drive at 67th Street.

Fernando Botero's "Horse"

Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero's "Horse" (edition 2 of 3) was on display briefly outside Christie's at 20 Rockefeller Plaza prior to its auction last fall. This bronze piece with dark brown patina was signed and numbered "Botero 2/3" and stamped with foundry mark on the base.

Gun Control Debate

Non-Violence is a sculpture presented by the Government of Luxembourg to the United Nations in 1988. This piece consists of a large bronze replica of a .45-calibre revolver, the barrel of which is tied into a knot. It was created in 1980 as a peace symbol by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. The sculpture is permanently on display at the Visitors' Plaza of the United Nations Headquarters. The symbolism of this artwork is very timely in the wake of the recent shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. The event sparked a nationwide debate on whether stricter laws limiting gun ownership infringe on the right to bear arms. Controversy ensued very recently after a local newspaper, The Journal News published an interactive Google map showing the names and addresses of gun owners in suburban New York.  The Journal News notes on its website that the information contained in the map is a matter of public record. Recent polls show that support for tighter gun control laws continues to rise.

"De Oppresso Liber" - A New Sculpture of American Special Forces Soldier on Horseback Unveiled Near One World Trade Center

A new 16-foot-tall bronze sculpture of a Special Operations soldier on horseback was unveiled last week at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan. The bronze statue is a memorial to the troops who led the American invasion of Afghanistan in response to the September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Known as “De Oppresso Liber,” a motto of the Army Special Forces, the statue honors Special Forces soldiers who rode horses across the rocky terrain of northern Afghanistan alongside operatives from the Central Intelligence Agency and members of the anti-Taliban coalition known as the Northern Alliance. The soldiers helped guide air attacks on Taliban positions and captured hundreds of enemy fighters. The statue is temporarily installed near One World Trade Center and the PATH train station. 

Fernando Botero's "Reclining Nude" On View Outside Christie's New York

Fernando Botero's "Reclining Nude" is covered with raindrops as it sits on display outside Christie's at 20 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan. The Colombian artist's bronze with dark brown patina sculpture is signed, numbered and stamped with foundry mark "Botero, 3/3' on the base. Its dimensions are 55 x 137 5/8 x 56 5/8 inches. It is part of the Latin American Sale, Evening Session to be held this evening at 6:30 P.M. The images were taken yesterday.

Auguste Rodin's "The Bronze Age"

Auguste Rodin's "The Bronze Age" is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that was cast in 1906. This piece was signed by Rodin. The lively modeling of the nude and its deceptively realistic appearance represented such a departure from the conventions of academic sculpture of the time that Rodin was accused of casting from a live model, a practice greatly frowned upon. (from the gallery caption).

Minerva And Bell Ringers At Herald Square

The centerpiece of Herald Square is a monument to James Gordon Bennett who founded the New York Herald, and to his son. The monument houses the bronze figures of Minerva, goddess of wisdom and invention, and two bell-ringing blacksmiths. These bronze figures, as well as the clock on top were installed on the monument in 1940. The bronze figures were created by Antonin Jean Carles. The New York Herald, one of the world's great newspapers, was best known for its sensational coverage of scandal and crime.

Conservatory Garden, One Of Central Park's Secluded Wonders

"Three Dancing Maidens" by Walter Schott (1861-1938), bronze, 1910

The Conservatory Garden, the only formal garden in Central Park is located at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street. The 6-acre garden takes its name from a conservatory that stood on the site from 1898 to 1934. The central section of the Conservatory Garden is a symmetrical lawn outlined in clipped yew, with a single central fountain jet at the rear. It is flanked by twin allées of crabapples and backed by a curved wisteria pergola. To the right of the central section is a garden also in concentric circles, round the Untermyer Fountain, which was donated by the family of Samuel Untermyer in 1947. The bronze figures, "Three Dancing Maidens" by Walter Schott (1861-1938), were executed in Germany about 1910.

"Indian Hunter" by JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WARD in Central Park

Located near Central Park's Sheep Meadow, this bronze sculpture is the dramatic rendering of an Indian hunter and his dog by JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WARD (1830-1910), one of America's most accomplished sculptors. Ward is probably best known for his over-lifesize standing statue of George Washington on the steps of Federal Hall on Wall Street.