Joe Brown (sculptor)

Joe Brown (March 20, 1909 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – March 14, 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American figurative sculptor, specializing in athletes and an innovator in playground design.

Joe Brown
Born(1909-03-20)March 20, 1909
Philadelphia
DiedMarch 14, 1985(1985-03-14) (aged 75)
NationalityAmerican
EducationSouth Philadelphia High School,
Temple University
Known forsculpture, playground design

Career

The son of Russian immigrants, he grew up in South Philadelphia and graduated South Philadelphia High School in 1926. A gifted athlete, he won a 1927 football scholarship to Temple University. He left before graduation, and briefly worked as a professional boxer. He made extra money as an artists' model, and became interested in studying sculpture. He served a 7-year apprenticeship under University of Pennsylvania professor and sculptor R. Tait McKenzie.[1]

Tackle at Citizens Bank Park

Brown became the boxing coach at Princeton University in 1937, continuing until the early 1960s. He began teaching a sculpting course in 1939, became a resident artist at the university, and was made a full professor of art in 1962. In 1955, he exhibited his sculpture at Lehigh University with works by Jose deRivera and William H. "Lone Star" Dietz in an exhibition arranged by Francis Quirk.[2] He continued teaching at Princeton until his 1977 retirement.

In 1955, he exhibited at Lehigh University with William Dietz and Jose de Rivera in an exhibition curated by Francis Quirk. [3]

He created more than 400 works - statuettes, portrait busts, and sculptures.[4] Examples are on many college campuses, and in the collections of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,[5] the National Academy of Design,[6] Princeton University Art Museum, Yale University Art Gallery, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library,[7] and the National Art Museum of Sport.[8]

While at Princeton in 1950, he began experimenting with structures for children to engage in active, cooperative play, which was a radical shift in thinking at the time.[9]

Brown appeared as himself on the November 5, 1962 episode of the game show To Tell the Truth. He received three of four possible votes.[10]

Selected sculptures

Statuettes
  • Duke Kahanamoku (1940).[11] Duke Kahanamoku won gold medals in swimming at the 1912 and 1920 Olympic Games.
  • Jack Kelly (1942). Jack Kelly won gold medals in rowing at the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games.
  • Jesse Owens (1942).[12] Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals in track & field at the 1936 Olympic Games.
  • Pieta (1944).[13] An exhausted boxer cradled by the referee. Winner of National Academy of Design's Barnett Prize.
  • Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) (1948–49), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio.[14] Huddie Ledbetter was a blues guitarist and jazz pioneer.
  • Bill Bradley (1965). Bill Bradley was a member of the U.S. basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games.

Portrait busts
Play at Second Base, showing the detailed footwork of the game
  • Bust of Robert Frost (1953), Jones Library, Amherst, Massachusetts.[15]
  • Bust of Louis Brandeis (1961), Harvard University Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts.[16]
  • Bust of John Steinbeck (1964).

Larger-than-life

Veterans Stadium

Four of Brown's sculptures graced Veterans Stadium from 1976 to 2003. Removed prior to the 2004 demolition, the sculptures were restored and relocated in 2005. They are now located near Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

References
  1. "Heroes with Feet of Clay," November 5, 1973 Sports Illustrated article
  2. "Francis Quirk and the Strange Case of Football Figure/Artist William "Lone Star" Dietz". Francis Quirk Master Painter Blog.
  3. "Brown, Dietz, de Rivera Show Works in Gallery". Brown and White. December 6, 1955.
  4. List of works from SIRIS
  5. Joe Brown from PAFA
  6. Joe Brown from NAD
  7. statuette of Discus Thrower from JFK Presidential Library
  8. "Joe Brown from NAMOS". Archived from the original on 2011-10-24. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  9. Solomon, Susan G. (2005). American Playgrounds: Revitalizing Community Space. Google Books: University Press of New England. pp. 37–42.
  10. "To Tell the Truth". You Tube. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  11. "Duke Kahanamoku". Archived from the original on 2006-03-23. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  12. Jesse Owens
  13. "Pieta". Archived from the original on 2005-01-11. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  14. Huddie Ledbetter from SIRIS
  15. Robert Frost from SIRIS
  16. Louis Brandeis from SIRIS
  17. The Runner from SIRIS
  18. Discus Thrower from SIRIS
  19. Two Athletes from SIRIS
  20. Benjamin Franklin - Craftsman from SIRIS
  21. Punter from Flickr
  22. The Punter from SIRIS
  23. Full-Swing from Flickr
  24. The Batter from SIRIS
  25. Tackle from Flickr.
  26. <Tackle from SIRIS
  27. Play at Second from Flickr
  28. Play at Second Base from SIRIS
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