The entrance to the Nazzaro Community Center on North Bennet Street in the North End is topped by a Boston city seal - accompanied by Mercury (the old god of merchants and trade, whose caduceus can be found on older buildings all over downtown) and Neptune, god of the sea.
Back in the day (the center was built in 1906), municipal architects used to love adorning their buildings with classical symbols (such as bucrania).
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Free tagging:
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
That makes sense!
By bibliotequetres...
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 10:14am
I noticed caduceus on a different sea- oriented building recently-- maybe the Cunard Building, on State Street? I didn't put 2 & 2 together , connecting Mercury with travel. Very cool, Adam!
Board of Trade Building, maybe?
By adamg
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 11:22am
The Cunard Building is cool in its own right, adorned with anchors and those weird classical fish, but the Board of Trade Building on the other side of State and along Broad has both Viking motifs and a statue of Mercury and Neptune on either side of a globe.
Dolphins
By NHRD in Rozzie
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 12:02pm
Adam, I got schooled hard-core by a concerned citizen when I called the sea creatures flanking the seals on the tower piers on the Longfellow Bridge "fish." Never mind the scales and gills, seems that the sculptural term for these creatures is actually dolphins. I fought him long and hard on it until I admitted, begrudgingly, that they are truly called dolphins.
Learn something new every day!
Go figure
By adamg
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 12:27pm
Thanks, I didn't know either, obviously.
I think you're right
By bibliotequetres...
Thu, 09/14/2017 - 5:07pm
Board of Trade fits my memory.
I love things like this
By anon
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 11:00am
These adornments gave buildings such a mystical, resonant feel, like on is doing something important just by entering them. Today's architects should take note!
Totally agree with your
By anon
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 9:33pm
Totally agree with your comment.
Beautiful architectural detail -- a lovely treasure!
What's The Story With The Callahan Tunnel's Flying Mermaid?
By Elmer
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 12:58pm
[img]https://elmercatdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2016/06...
[img]https://elmercatdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2016/06...
[sup] ( or is it a flying merman? )[/sup]
Not an angel?
By adamg
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 1:21pm
Ferrying young Callahan to heaven?
An Angel With A Mermaid-Style Fish Tail?!!
By Elmer
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 1:42pm
[sup] ( I've never seen such a creature depicted elsewhere )[/sup]
It's her skirt.
By aegtx
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 2:44pm
It's her skirt.
So Then, On The Right, You're Looking Up Her Skirt?!!
By Elmer
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 3:02pm
[sup] ( freakiest artwork in Boston — I'd love to know more about it )[/sup]
And What About That Right Arm And Hand Gesture?
By Elmer
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 3:09pm
[sup] ( is it giving "the finger" to people headed to East Boston? )[/sup]
and the angel said to him
By anon
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 8:47pm
and the angel said to him