Photo by Barry Houlehen
Third Ward grotesque face
Face on the Baumbach Building, built in 1900, Buffalo and Broadway, Third Ward
Milwaukee’s buildings and private residences from the late 19th century are often decorated with creative faces, animals, mythological figures and other architectural ornamentation. Given the era in which the buildings were constructed, most of them can be found along East Wells Street, Wisconsin Avenue, and Michigan Street. Others can be found at the grand homes along Lake Drive or the stately mansions on West Highland Boulevard and West Kilbourn Avenue.
Figural images used to embellish temples and palaces can trace their origins to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Non-functional personifications were hand cut by stonemasons or created from clay by ceramic artisans of the day. The Greeks and Romans used a series of lions’ heads to divert water.
By the 12th and 13th centuries, architects in France and Germany began using bestial and reptilian figures that extended from the roof. These huge, formidable apparitions were carved with demonic, frightening faces and served as gutters and downspouts to convey water away from the building’s foundation. The horrible open-mouthed figures became known as gargoyles alleged to ward off evil spirits from entering the building while protecting the pious and religious congregations within. By the Middle Ages, the leering, predatory figures with horned heads, bat wings, and fangs and claws were juxtaposed with serene, saintly statues. This strategy helped convert illiterate pagans to the Roman Catholic Church.
Scary Sculpture
Photo by Larry Widen
Highland Avenue building face
A face on Highland Avenue
“Our city doesn’t have any gargoyles. They’re almost always associated with Gothic architecture,” said Julia Griffith, program director for Historic Milwaukee Inc. “Using the term ‘gargoyle’ to talk about a scary figure on an old building is a common mistake. The correct architectural term for the faces, monsters, and imaginary creatures is a ‘grotesque.’” Also known as chimeras, grotesques are a hybrid of animals and/or human beings. A griffin, which combines the head of an eagle with the body of a lion, is a good example. In Greek mythology, the griffins prevented the race of cyclops from stealing gold from the royal palace.
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In addition to overseeing popular special events such as Spaces and Traces and Doors Open Milwaukee. Griffith also supervises Historic Milwaukee’s wide variety of tours. The architectural building ornamentation walking tour meets at the ornate Mitchell building, a treasure from the Gilded Age. The group then heads to landmarks such as the Federal Courthouse, the Wells building, and the Pfister Hotel. “Some of the most stunning pieces are not always 12 or 15 feet overhead”, Griffith said. “We encourage people to bring cameras and binoculars for a better look”. She said the guides always carry a portfolio of photographs to enrich the guest experience.
A familiar visage found on many of the city’s 19th century building is the “green man,” a common figure found in ancient Rome. The face is usually wreathed in oak leaves or ivy vines, signifying a gentle, benign gatekeeper associated with nature. Griffith said her favorite designs are the dragons that adorn the Federal Courthouse on East Wisconsin Avenue. “The building was once the Customs House and a post office,” she said. “Now it’s the courthouse and the U.S. Marshalls' offices.” Griffith said she admired the way the Richardsonian Romanesque-style façade employed dragons to complement the building’s graceful arches.
Beginning in 1886, hundreds of unusual building designs were mass-produced and available to architects by way of a huge catalog. “For the first time, there was an economical way to enhance a building’s exterior at a significantly lower cost,” Griffith said. “And municipal building construction used less tax dollars to erect a public structure.” Not all selections from the catalog were fantasy-based reproductions. The buyer could choose from a huge variety of birds, butterflies, foxes, deer, owls, horses, dogs, cats, and other pleasing creations. Milwaukee’s Butterfly theater featured a 27-foot terra cotta exterior ornament of a woman’s body with butterfly wings. 1,000 light bulbs added to the jaw-dropping attention-getter in the evening. The custom-made sculpture required more than 50 molds and cost a staggering $150,000. The Butterfly closed in 1930 and the current Warner theater occupies the site.
Griffith said Historic Milwaukee’s building tours have opened the doors of learning for participants. “Our feedback is wonderful”, she said. We’ve had guests tell us they’re looking up at 19th century revival structures wherever they go.”
