Alfonso Iannelli

Alfonso Iannelli was born in Andretta, Italy on February 17, 1888. He came to America in 1898. He studied to be a sculptor under Gutzon Borglum, famous for Mount Rushmore.

From 1910 to 1915, he designed posters for the vaudeville acts appearing at the Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles. Frank Lloyd Wright's son John saw his work and the two became friends. John introduced Iannelli's work to his father. Frank Lloyd Wright invited Iannelli to work with him on his Midway Gardens project in 1914.Iannelli created several "Sprite" sculptures for Wright, but Wright took all credit for them and the two would never collaborate again.

After Midway Gardens, Iannelli worked for noted Chicago area Prairie School design architects Purcell and Elmslie and then Barry Byrne. He went on to open Iannelli Studios in Park Ridge, Illinois in collaboration with his wife Margaret, a talented illustrator and artist in her own right.

Iannelli Studios grew to become one of Chicago's most famous art studios at the time. They brought in more collaborators and expanded into commercial design, advertising, product design and architectural interiors. Among Iannelli's most famous designs is the art-deco inspired Coffeemaker and Toaster for Sunbeam Products. He worked on quite a few exhibitions for the 1933 Century of Progress Chicago World's Fair.

Iannelli helped design many historic interiors for churches and movie theaters, two of which remain in operation today; the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge and the Catlow Theater in Barrington, Illinois. He also carved the Rock of Gibraltar relief on the facade of the Prudential Building (now called One Prudential Plaza) in Chicago.

He died in Chicago in March 1965.

External Links

* [http://www.architechgallery.com/arch_info/artists_pages/iannelli_bio.html Alfonso Iannelli - Architect, Artist and Designer]
* [http://lynnbecker.com/repeat/iannelli/iannelli.htm Iannelli (and Wright) out of the Storeroom]
* [http://www.thecatlow.com/ Catlow Theater]
* [http://www.pickwicktheatre.com/ Pickwick Theatre]
* [http://www.franklloydwright.org/ Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation]
* [http://www.organica.org/purcellandelmslie.htm Purcell and Elmslie]
* [http://turnerscross.com/church/barry_byrne/ Barry Byrne]