Harlequins

"The climax of Marshall Fredericks's achievement in the free-form relief indoors and designed to be seen by artificial light in the Ford Auditorium, which was built in 1955-56 to house the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and be the centerpiece of the city's new waterfront.  The auditorium was a gift to Detroit, in memory of Henry and Edsel Ford, from Ford Motor Company dealers throughout the nation."

The Ford Auditorium architects, Odell, Hewlett and Luckenbach, designed a curved foyer off the front lobby of the concert hall.  The monumental 120' Ford Empire sculpture was installed on the long, front curved wall while at either end of the foyer there were tall walls above staircases that ascended to a balcony, giving access to the upper-level seats.  On the east wall above the staircase, Fredericks's Harlequins (Clown Musicians) and Ballerina, Orchestral Parade was displayed, and Harlequins (Juggler, Acrobat and Lovesick Clown) and Circus Parade was displayed on the west wall.  The sculptural reliefs were hammered and welded in copper, nickel, brass, stainless steel, and aluminum, plated with gold, zinc and cadmium.  The reliefs were commissioned by Mrs. Edsel (Eleanor) Ford in memory of her father-in-law and husband, Henry and Edsel, and were completed by Fredericks in 1956.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra vacated Ford Auditorium and returned to its original home, Orchestra Hall, on Woodward Avenue in 1989.  In 2003, The Harlequin reliefs were removed from Ford Auditorium and put in storage where they stayed until 2007 when the Museum negotiated with the City of Detroit to have the Harlequins moved to SVSU.

Venus Bronze Works, Inc. of Detroit spent twelve months restoring the Harlequins at a cost of $59,000. 

Edgar P. Richardson, Introductory essay to Marshall M. Fredericks, Sculptor (SVSU, 2003).

The photos below show the process of reassembling  and installation of the sculptures. 

Please click images to enlarge them.