Ulysses Anthony Ricci (1888–1960) was an American

sculptor 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 ...

known primarily for his

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 ...

. Born in New York City, Ricci was an

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

at the Perth Amboy Terra Cotta Works in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

from 1902 to 1906. Ricci signature

He studied at

Cooper Union The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) is a private college at Cooper Square in New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-supported École Polytechnique in ...

Institute and at the

Art Students League The Art Students League of New York is an art school at American Fine Arts Society, 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists ...

with James Earle Fraser and

George Bridgman George Brant Bridgman (November 5, 1864 – December 16, 1943) was a Canadian-American painter, writer, and teacher in the fields of anatomy and figure drawing. Bridgman taught anatomy for artists at the Art Students League of New York for some ...

. He opened his own studio in 1914 and was a partner in the firm Ricci & Zari from 1917 to 1941. Ricci came to the attention of

Karl Bitter Karl Theodore Francis Bitter (December 6, 1867 – April 9, 1915) was an Austrian-born American sculptor best known for his architectural sculpture, memorials and residential work. Life and career The son of Carl and Henrietta Bitter, he was ...

when Bitter was head of sculpture decoration at the

Panama–Pacific International Exposition The Panama–Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California, United States, from February 20 to December 4, 1915. Its stated purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely se ...

which opened in 1915, where Ricci was commissioned to execute some of the sculptural decorations. Architectural sculptor

Corrado Parducci Corrado Giuseppe Parducci (March 10, 1900 – November 22, 1981) was an Italian-American architectural sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early-20th century works. Early life and education Parducci was born in Buti, Italy, a ...

apprenticed with Ricci & Zari.see signature on apprenticeship contract to the right

Architectural Sculpture

*Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library, Albert Kahn architect, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1920 * Bowery Savings Bank Building,

York and Sawyer York and Sawyer was an American architectural firm active between 1898 and 1949. The firms' work is exemplary of Beaux-Arts architecture as it was practiced in the United States. The partners Edward York (July 23, 1863– December 30, 1928) and ...

architects, New York, NY, 1922 *Wisconsin Hardware Ltd. Mutual Liability Insurance Company (headquarters), Stevens Point, WI, 1922 *

General Motors Building A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

, Albert Kahn architect, Detroit, MI, 1922 *Angell Hall, Albert Kahn architect, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1924 * Detroit Free Press Building, Albert Kan architect, Detroit, MI, 1925 *Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen Building, Cleveland, OH * New York Telephone Building,

Ralph Thomas Walker Ralph Thomas Walker FAIA (November 28, 1889 – January 17, 1973) was an American architect, president of the American Institute of Architects and partner of the firm McKenzie, Voorhees, Gmelin; and its successor firms Voorhees, Gmelin & W ...

architect, New York, 1927 *

Fisher Building The Fisher Building is a landmark skyscraper located at 3011 West Grand Boulevard in the heart of the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. The ornate 30-story building, completed in 1928, is one of the major works of architect Albert Kahn, an ...

, Albert Kahn architect, Detroit, MI, 1929 *

DAR Constitution Hall DAR Constitution Hall is a concert hall located at 1776 D Street NW, near the White House in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to house its annual convention when membership delegations outgrew Memo ...

John Russell Pope John Russell Pope (April 24, 1874 – August 27, 1937) was an American architect whose firm is widely known for designing major public buildings, including the National Archives and Records Administration building (completed in 1935), the Jeffe ...

, architect, Washington, D.C., 1930 * Bank of Lansing Building, Kenneth Black architect, Lansing, MI, 1931 *Department of Commerce,

Louis Ayres William Louis Ayres (1874–November 30, 1947), better known by his professional name Louis Ayres, was an American architect who was one of the most prominent designers of monuments, memorials, and buildings in the nation in the early part of ...

, architect, Washington, D.C., 1934 * American Institute of Pharmacy, John Russell Pope architect, Washington, D.C., 1934 * National Archives,

architect, Washington, D.C., 1935 *

Rundel Memorial Library The Rundel Memorial Building is a historic library building located at Rochester in Monroe County, New York. It is the original downtown site of the Rochester Public Library, and along with the Bausch & Lomb Library Building directly across the str ...

, Rochester, NY,

Gordon & Kaelber Gordon & Kaelber was an architectural firm of Rochester, New York, extant from 1918 to 1932. The partners included Edwin S. Gordon, who died in 1932,''Architectural Forum'' 1932: 52. and William G. Kaelber. The firm was preceded by Gordon & Madden ...

architects, Rochester, NY, 1936 *bronze doors at

Bank of Canada The Bank of Canada (BoC; french: Banque du Canada) is a Crown corporation and Canada's central bank. Chartered in 1934 under the ''Bank of Canada Act'', it is responsible for formulating Canada's monetary policy,OECD. OECD Economic Surveys: Ca ...

, Marani, Morris & Allen, architects, Ottawa, ON *bronze doors at the Iranian Embassy, Washington D.C., 1960

Bank of Lansing

Image:BankofLansing1.jpg, The Bank of Lansing Image:BankofLansing3.jpg, The door surround Image:BankofLansing4.jpg, The top of the entrance arch

References

*''Outdoor Sculpture in Lansing'', Fay Hendry, Photography by Balthazar Korab, iota press, Okamos, Michigan 1980 *''Architectural Sculpture of America'', Einar Einarsson Kvaran, unpublished manuscript 1888 births 1960 deaths American architectural sculptors American male sculptors Cooper Union alumni Art Students League of New York alumni Artists from New York City 20th-century American sculptors 20th-century male artists National Sculpture Society members Sculptors from New York (state) {{US-sculptor-stub