Good morning:
OK--it was the end of a long day yesterday when I sent this message
out which is to say I didn't phrase the question right.
The question "should" have been, why were lions chosen rather than
some other animal. For instance, my kids think that elephants would
have been more appropriate since they have to remember all of that
information that goes into a library.
Several people have sent me the website to the NYC public library
which is helpful but doesn't answer the question. I will post a few
theories here that are floating around and by all means if someone has
this "Top Cat's" book in their library and would like to share the
information with the rest of us, I will pass on the info. to all.
Thanks again for your help everyone!
Carol Van Brocklin
Librarian
Faith Academy--Davao
Davao City, Philippines
This may be way off, but I think I read somewhere that they represent the
lions on either side of King Solomon's throne. It is said that if anyone
told a lie in the presence of the king that they would roar. Why the
Solomon-Library connection? Because he was so wise. He undoubtably would
have loved libraries. I'm not sure if I read this or if I dreamt it!
According to Henry Hope Reed in his book The New York Public Library,
the sculptor Edward Clark Potter obtained the commission for the lions
on the recommendation of August Saint-Gaudens, one of America's
foremost sculptors. Potter was paid $8,000 for the modelling, and
Piccirilli Brothers executed the carving for $5,000, using pink
Tennessee marble.
http://www.nypl.org/pr/lions.cfm
There's also a mention of another book that gives more detail about
the history of the lions entitled:
Top Cats: the Life and Times of The New York Public Library Lions by
Susan G. Larkin
http://lshop.stores.yahoo.net/topcaliandti.html
It isn't clear if Potter was allowed to choose the animals or if
someone gave him the directives. If he was allowed to choose, I would
probably assume (perhaps wrongly) that the symbolism of the lion in
literature may have been one reason for this pair of animals rather
than any other.
Because the lions are described as "guarding the library" the idea of
two lions flanking the entrance represent what most "cat lovers" have
always known about felines (especially the lion which is known as "the
king of the beasts")...don't think that their docile pose means you
can "just walk past them" (or walk all over them)!
Just like librarians, these cats are watching everything you say and
do....don't make them angry!! *grin*
Hello! From Wikipedia (I know, not always a reliable source for
research, but probably fine for our purposes: http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/New_York_Public_Library
It says:
But to those who came not to read but just to see the new library
there was a lot to see. First there were two stone lions that stood
at the stairway to the entrance. The famous lions guarding the
entrance were sculpted by Edward Clark Potter. They were originally
named Leo Astor and Leo Lenox, in honor of the library's founders.
These names were transformed into Lord Astor and Lady Lenox (although
both lions are male). In the 1930s they were nicknamed "Patience" and
"Fortitude" by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. He chose these names because
he felt that the citizens of New York would need to possess these
qualities to see themselves through the Great Depression. Patience is
on the south side (the left as one faces the main entrance) and
Fortitude on the north.
My guess is they are there as symbolic "protectors" (note the phrase
"guarding the entrance") and also with the idea of royalty (lions as
"king of the jungle"). You could probably email the library and find
out: http://www.nypl.org/questions/
has a form to ask the librarians questions
Or, you could email the Children's Dept, at
kids@nypl.org
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