A photo of Chicago sculptor Alfonso Iannelli working in his studio. The sculptor designed and created 'The Welfare Rock' monument, which stands outside the Iberville Building on N. Fourth Street in Baton Rouge.
Sometimes a monument will follow the footsteps of its creator.
One day, it stands in a visibly prominent spot. The next day, it's tucked away and forgotten, which seems to be the combined story of Baton Rouge's "The Welfare Rock" monument and its artist, Alfonso Iannelli.
However, that's not saying the monument isn't noticed outside the Iberville Building on North Fourth Street. It caught Mark Jeffers' eye while driving past and piqued his interest enough to stop for a closer look.
'The Welfare Rock' monument in Baton Rouge weighs 18 tons and has four sides. This is the 'Aid To Needy' side.
Four sides
"It has four sides, and it's art deco in style," the Baton Rouge resident said. "But there isn't any explanation for it, and it just seems out of place. I'm curious about the story behind it."
The answer starts with its creator, Iannelli, who was an art world celebrity in the early 20th century. He worked closely with architect Frank Lloyd Wright and maintained friendships with the likes of Wassily Kandinsky.
"As a metaphor for America's cult of celebrity, he had become enormously famous," author David Jameson wrote in his 2013 book, "Alfonso Iannelli: Modern by Design." "Then he was forgotten."
Alfonso Iannelli created 'The Welfare Rock' out of Indiana limestone. The monument has four sides. This side represents, 'Aid To Children.'
A celebrity artist
But Iannelli still had celebrity status when the state of Louisiana, under the administration of Gov. Earl K. Long, commissioned him to create a monument to stand outside the Department of Public Welfare Building at 755 N. Third St. in Baton Rouge.
The building was constructed on the former home site of Mexican War hero Zachary Taylor, the only Louisiana resident elected to the presidency. The structure later was renamed the A.Z. Young Building, in honor of the Louisiana civil rights leader.
The Young Building was demolished in 2007, making way for the A.Z. Young Park, cater-corner from Capitol Park. But the monument, according to a 2006 Advocate article, was moved to its current place at the north end of the Iberville Building at 627 N. Fourth St., before the demolition.
'The Welfare Monument' outside the Iberville Building on N. Fourth Street has four sides. This side represents 'Visual Care.'
No plate, no lights, no benches
A 2016 article in The Advocate noted, "This beautiful statue near the Iberville Building has no artist plate, no lights, no benches." They consulted the State Library of Louisiana for information, which turned up Iannelli as the artist.
This week's Curious Louisiana answers a question about "The Welfare Rock" monument in downtown Baton Rouge.
Still, the library's information was slightly different from that filed in Louisiana's Percentage for Art program, which created "J. Iannelli" for the sculpture.
"Based on the style, date and medium, it may actually be linked to Alfonso Iannelli, a well-known Chicago sculptor who collaborated with Frank Lloyd Wright and was active until his death in 1965," program director Scott Finch said this week. "Iannelli did work in architectural ornament and sandstone, so this could plausibly be a piece from his studio."
'The Welfare Rock,' created by Alfonso Iannelli originally stood outside what was once the Public Welfare Building, later named the A.Z. Young Building in Baton Rouge. This side of the monument represents 'Old Age Assistance.'
It is, indeed, from Iannelli's studio where it was created in three pieces, each carved from Indiana limestone.
Installed in 1956
Iannelli came to Baton Rouge in 1956 to piece together the three blocks of his four-sided, 18-ton sculpture. Yes, that is how much this monument actually weighs. according to Martin L. Tanney's photo in the June 12, 1956, edition of the State-Times.
The photo shows the artist installing the sculpture in its original location.
"Sculptor Alfonso Ianelli is shown blasting away with his air hammer on 'The Welfare Rock,' near the front entrance to the State Welfare Building,' Tanney wrote about the photo.
Tanney's description of the sculpture may be the most accurate since it came from Iannelli, himself.
"Iannelli's piece of sculpture weighs 18 tons and depicts the various welfare services — old age assistance, aid to children, aid to the needy and visual care. 'The old man and the old woman are being protected by the state,' the sculptor says, 'which is symbolized by the pelican. The child represents the coming generation.'"
Born in Italy
Iannelli was born in Andretta, Italy, in 1888 and immigrated to America 10 years later. He studied under Gutzon Borglum, who sculpted Mount Rushmore, then in 1914, Iannelli created several Sprite sculptures for Chicago's Midway Gardens.
This modernist entertainment venue in Chicago was considered architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece of public architecture. Midway Gardens was torn down in 1929, but a few of Iannelli's geometric sculptures survived and are on display in Phoenix.
Iannelli also worked with famed New Bauhaus founder and artist László Moholy-Nagy, and his public works include Chicago's Adler Planetarium's art deco plaques, the Rock of Gibraltar relief on the face of the Prudential skyscraper, also in Chicago.
He also was known for his industrial designs, which included the art deco Sunbeam T9 toaster in 1939.
Iannelli, along with his wife Margaret, established Iannelli Studios in Park Ridge, Illinois. The building is now occupied by the Kalo Foundation, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to preserving the rich artistic legacy of the city.”
Iannelli died in 1965, and though his name hasn't completely faded in the art world, it isn't a household name like that of his colleague Wright. And though his Baton Rouge sculpture is relatively unnoticed, it still stands.