Thomas Gaetano LoMedico (July 11, 1904 – November 29, 1985) was an American sculptor and

medalist A medalist (or medallist) is an artist who designs medals, plaquettes, badges, metal medallions, coins and similar small works in relief in metal. Historically, medalists were typically also involved in producing their designs, and were usually e ...

.Thomas Gaetano LoMedico papers, ca. 1939-1980
at the Archives of American Art web site. Born and raised in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, his sculpture won awards in the 1930s and 1940s and is now in several American museum collections.

Life and career

Thomas Lo Medico was born in Upper East Side Manhattan on July 11, 1904, the son of Philip and Angelina Cimino Lo Medico.Demarest, William "Sculptor of Astronauts Dies at Tappen Home" ''The Journal News (White Plains, NY)'', Nov. 30, 1985, page A1. His interest in the arts surfaced at a young age and while at PS 13 (Manhattan) he designed posters for neighborhood storefronts to promote the sale of WW I

Liberty Bond A liberty bond (or liberty loan) was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the Allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financia ...

s.Hitzig, Michael "Six Decades a Sculptor" ''The Journal News (White Plains, NY''), March 30, 1980, p. 67. In 1920, at age 16, he was hired as an artist's apprentice in a New York architectural sculpture studio. In the evenings from 1920 thru 1928 he studied at the Beaux Arts Institute of Design. Chartered in 1916, the Beaux Arts Institute had as its mission promotion of the Beaux-Arts architectural style and fostering of closer relationships between

architects An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

ists, and

sculptors Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

.Howlett, D. Rodger "Thirties Sculpture in the Manship Tradition Reborn in the Eighties" ''The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts'', Vol. 16, Summer 1990, pgs. 22 - 27. In 1935, after fifteen years creating

architectural sculpture Architectural sculpture is the use of sculptural techniques by an architect and/or sculptor in the design of a building, bridge, mausoleum or other such project. The sculpture is usually integrated with the structure, but freestanding works that a ...

, Lo Medico opened his own studio in

. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

made it difficult for young sculptors to cast and sell small works as collectors still financially in a position to purchase artwork tended to support recognized sculptors such as

Paul Manship Paul Howard Manship (December 24, 1885 – January 28, 1966) was an American sculptor. He consistently created mythological pieces in a classical style, and was a major force in the Art Deco movement. He is well known for his large public com ...

. At the same time, the

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...

created opportunities for lesser known sculptors to pursue commissions for federal contracts via anonymous competitions. Contracts to create art for Federal Buildings were being administered by the Department of Treasury's Section of Painting and Sculpture The section had been established in 1934 under

Edward Bruce Edward Bruce, Earl of Carrick ( Norman French: ; mga, Edubard a Briuis; Modern Scottish Gaelic: gd, Eideard or ; – 14 October 1318), was a younger brother of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. He supported his brother in the 1306–1314 st ...

, Director of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) with a mission to discover new talent and provide work for unemployed artists. In 1936, Lo Medico was awarded a

PWAP The Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) was a New Deal program designed to employ artists that operated from 1933 to 1934. The program was headed by Edward Bruce, under the United States Treasury Department with funding from the Civil Works Admi ...

contract to execute plaster reliefs for the new

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

Post Office. He wrote "I wish to…praise the policy of the Section of Painting and Sculpture in granting freedom and liberal cooperation to the artists in the execution of their work."Davis, Anita Price ''New Deal Art in North Carolina, The Murals, Sculptures, Reliefs, Paintings, Oils and Frescoes and Their Creators'', McFarland & Co., Jefferson, NC, 2009, pgs. 201 – 205. His seven 4.5-foot-high panels depicting scenes of North Carolina people, commerce, and history were collectively titled "History and Present Day Themes Relating to Wilmington and Its Surroundings". The individual panels are titled ''Stevedores, Fishing, Cotton Pickers, Chemists, The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, The Landing of the English on Roanoke Island,'' and ''Education''. In 1939, Lo Medico executed a PWAP contract of a terracotta ''Potter'' to embellish the interior of the

Crooksville, Ohio Crooksville is a village in Perry County, Ohio, United States, along Moxahala Creek. The population was 2,534 at the 2010 census. It was the home of Hull pottery, one of the best known Ohio potteries. Notable people *Rollo Walter Brown (1880-195 ...

Post Office. In 1938, the

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, wi ...

announced an $8000 prize for a sculptural group on the American Family intending to make it the centerpiece of their exhibit at the upcoming

1939 New York World's Fair The 1939–40 New York World's Fair was a world's fair held at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York, United States. It was the second-most expensive American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchas ...

. The competition attracted 257 entries and the winning entry was ''Family Group'' by Lo Medico. From the insurance company's perspective the 12-ft- high statue symbolized an average American family moving forward in life shielded from unforeseen hazards by insurance. In April 1940, after the Fair had closed, ''Family Group'' was exhibited at the Whitney Museum courtesy of Met Life. Lo Medico designed his first medal in 1946 for the

National Sculpture Society Founded in 1893, the National Sculpture Society (NSS) was the first organization of professional sculptors formed in the United States. The purpose of the organization was to promote the welfare of American sculptors, although its founding members ...

(NSS). The medal in honor of American sculptor Herbert Adams (1958 – 1945) was created as an annual memorial (The Herbert Adams Memorial Award) to recognize individuals and organizations that have significantly encouraged and advanced American sculpture. Lo Medico continued to design new medals almost every year thereafter. He taught at the NY School of Industrial Art, and the

National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the fin ...

. In 1956, Lo Medico moved to

Tappan, NY Tappan ( ) is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Orangetown, New York, Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, Rockland County, New York (state), New York. It is located northwest of Alpine, New Jersey, nor ...

and constructed an art studio behind his house on Main St. where he continued to create sculpture and medals. He died at home on November 29, 1985 at age 81. He was survived by his wife Lenora Lisciandra Lo Medico. In 1993, his widow donated Lo Medico's papers including correspondence about commemorative medals, sculpture competitions, commissions, and financial records to Smithsonian

Archives of American Art The Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary resources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. More than 20 million items of original material are housed in the Archives' research centers in Washingt ...

. Previous to this, in 1967 & 1971 Lo Medico donated photographs of his work to the Special Collections Research Center at

Syracuse University Library Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Located in the city's Uni ...

Artistic controversy

On June 17, 1942 Lo Medico won a $1,000 first prize in a competition to design a public sculpture with the theme "Wings for Victory – The Spirit of Aviation". The competition was sponsored by Artists for Victory, Inc., a consortium of twenty-three artists' organizations. The idea was to create a temporary outdoor sculpture that would promote patriotism and incentivize the purchase of

War Bonds War bonds (sometimes referred to as Victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are a ...

. Lo Medico submitted a one-third scale model of a 24-foot-high weather resistant plaster stature depicting a resolute looking WW II aviator in flight suit pulling on gloves. His entry was the unanimous choice of the eleven jurors from among 149 entries and the full size statue was expected to be displayed in a prominent public location. The suggested location was in front of the NY Public Library at 42nd St. & 5th Ave. Contest results were announced at the

Whitney Museum of American Art The Whitney Museum of American Art, known informally as "The Whitney", is an art museum in the Meatpacking District and West Village neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875–1942), ...

and Lo Medico's model along with those of the runners-up were placed on display in the museum entrance hall. Newspapers and magazines around the nation publicized the award and published photos of the winning entry. In August 1942, New York City Mayor,

Fiorello La Guardia Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (; born Fiorello Enrico LaGuardia, ; December 11, 1882September 20, 1947) was an American attorney and politician who represented New York in the House of Representatives and served as the 99th Mayor of New York City fro ...

sent a letter to Artists for Victory. Inc. expressing disapproval of Lo Medico's design. He stated that he would not approve the statue's placement on any city owned property. The mayor was quoted in the press describing the statue as a "piece of second or third-rate art looking for a first-class controversy".

Robert Moses Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was an American urban planner and public official who worked in the New York metropolitan area during the early to mid 20th century. Despite never being elected to any office, Moses is regarded ...

, NYC Parks Commissioner concurred and opposed its display in any city park.

, noted sculptor and the Vice-President of Artists for Victory expressed his support for the jury's decision and suggested erecting the stature on private property or in a different city. In 1980, nearly 40 years later, commenting on this incident, Lo Medico seemed to blame the media for creating the controversy: "I became a mildly notorious subject thanks to the newspapers. …The sculpture was simply a dramatic rendition of a World War II aviator. It was 24-feet-high and, of course, it was going to be placed in one of the most prominent spots in New York City. That was the plan, but Mayor La Guardia, who was then the mayor of New York, for some reason said 'no'. That was it. The newspapers made quite a thing of it. And, of course, artists all over protested the mayor's decision. It was never put in front of the library." At the time of this interview in 1980, the original 8-ft-high competition model of ''Wings for Victory'' was on display in Lo Medico's Tappan, NY studio.

Awards and recognition

*(1938) Elected Fellow of the

. *(1956) J. Sanford

Saltus Award The J. Sanford Saltus Medal Award is an annual award made to artists "for lifetime achievement in medallic art". It is administered by the American Numismatic Society. The award was first awarded in 1913 on the initiative of J. Sanford Saltus to re ...

for his Medallic Art form the American Numismatic Society.Johnson, D. Wayne ''Who's Who Among American Medallists'', Groton, MA, 2015, p. 176-177. *(1952)

Lindsey Morris Prize for best bas-relief. *Member of the

. *Member of Allied Artists of America. *Recognized by and member of the

Architectural League of New York The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture, urbanism, and related disciplines". The league dates from 1881, when Cass Gilbert organized meetings at the Salmagundi Club for ...

. Lo Medico's artwork has been shown at the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

(New York), the

, the

, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Renwick Gallery The Renwick Gallery is a branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum located in Washington, D.C. that displays American craft and decorative arts from the 19th to 21st century. The gallery is housed in a National Historic Landmark building that ...

Selected works

*(1936) Seven Reliefs for the "New" Wilmington, North Carolina Post Office. *(1937) ''Mother and Child/The Immigrant'' sculpture. *(1938) ''Family Group'' sculpture for the

exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair. *(1939) ''Potter'' for Crooksville, Ohio Post Office. *(1946) Herbert Adams Memorial Annual Award Medal for the

. Lo Medico's design won a design competition for creation of this medal. *(1948)

Society of Medalists The Society of Medalists was established in 1930 in the United States to encourage the medallic work of superior sculptors, and to make their creations available to the public. The Society of Medalists was the longest running art medal collector's ...

38th Issue medal - ''Pursuit of Happiness''. *(1955–59) Statues of St. John Chrysostom, St. Ignatius, St. Justin, St. Leo, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine for the

Shrine of the Immaculate Conception The Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic church located at 48 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The current church building was completed in 1873 and is the oldest church in Atlan ...

, Washington, DC. *(1952) ''

Popular Mechanics ''Popular Mechanics'' (sometimes PM or PopMech) is a magazine of popular science and technology, featuring automotive, home, outdoor, electronics, science, do-it-yourself, and technology topics. Military topics, aviation and transportation o ...

Hall of Fame Tenth Anniversary'' bronze plaque. *(1953) ''

University of Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico ( es, Universidad de Puerto Rico, UPR) is the main public university system in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a government-owned corporation with 11 campuses and approximately 58,000 students and 5,3 ...

50th Anniversary'' Medal. *(1954) ''

World Council of Churches The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide Christian inter-church organization founded in 1948 to work for the cause of ecumenism. Its full members today include the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, most juri ...

2nd Assembly'' Medal presented to attendees at the August 1954 Conference in Evanston, Illinois. *(1958) '' American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Recognition'' Medal. *(1963) City of Rye, NY Official Seal for the exterior of the new City Hall. *(1964) Medallic Art Co. ''

Hall of Fame for Great Americans The Hall of Fame for Great Americans is an outdoor sculpture gallery located on the grounds of Bronx Community College (BCC) in the Bronx, New York City. It is the first such hall of fame in the United States. Built in 1901 as part of the Uni ...

Series:

Alice Freeman Palmer Alice Freeman Palmer (born Alice Elvira Freeman; February 21, 1855 – December 6, 1902) was an American educator. As Alice Freeman, she was president of Wellesley College from 1881 to 1887, when she left to marry the Harvard professor George He ...

'' Medal. *(1964) ''Students'' anodized bronze relief for Junior High School No 7,

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...

, NY. *(1965) National Commemorative Society '' Paul Revere'' Medal. *(1966) Medallic Art Co. ''

Series:

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, politician and orator known for declaring to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): " Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first an ...

'' Medal. *(1968) American Negro Commemorative Society ''

Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (also spelled ''Point de Sable'', ''Point au Sable'', ''Point Sable'', ''Pointe DuSable'', ''Pointe du Sable''; before 1750 – 28 August 1818) is regarded as the first permanent non-Indigenous settler of what would ...

'' Medal. *(1968) ''

75th Anniversary'' Medal. *(1970) ''Texas

Astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...

s Medal of Valor'' commissioned by the State of TexasReuters, "Astronaut Medal Has a Goof-up" ''Omaha World News (Omaha NE)'', Jul 16, 1970, p. 28. and presented to

Neil A. Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who became the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. ...

, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., and

Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to: * Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician * Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and Ge ...

in recognition of the first moon landing.

References

External links

Smithsonian American Art Museum Renwick Gallery Biography of Thomas Lo Medico
{{DEFAULTSORT:LoMedico, Thomas Gaetano 1904 births 1985 deaths Artists from New York City Federal Art Project artists People from Tappan, New York 20th-century American sculptors 20th-century American male artists American male sculptors American medallists Sculptors from New York (state)