Rockefeller Center's Atlas

Atlas is the two-ton statue at Rockefeller Center, directly across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral. It is the largest sculpture at Rockefeller Center located at 630 Fifth Avenue. The sculpture depicts the story of Atlas from Greek mythology in which Atlas carries the heavens upon his shoulders as punishment for defying Zeus. Designed and cast in 1936 by Lee Lawrie and Rene Chambellan, the statue's exaggerated musculature and stylized body are characteristic of the Art Deco style. This photo was captured with the St. Patrick's Cathedral's geometric style of Gothic architecture as backdrop on March 20, 2011.