The Perelman Building.
Formerly, the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Building. 1928.
Dr. Hartley Burr Alexander developed the theme for the building. This building is located across the boulevard from the Philadelphia Art Institute.
Gregory Paul Harm, the creator of this Website, first visited this building in 2004. At that time the Art Institute had not yet opened the building to the public, so I have no interior photos of the building. If you are in Philadelphia, and would care to enter the building and shoot some photos of whatever sculpture is there, I would gladly add it to this site. Below, these are galleries—a slide show that provides you more than a dozen examples of Lawrie’s sculpture done on the building. Navigate them with the arrows.
These spandrels represent the various continents. The first features a Native American and a Locomotive, representative of North America.
The second spandrel represents Asia with a dragon and Persia
The Third Spandrel represents Africa, with a Native and an Egyptian scene.
A spandrel featuring an African warrior and a scene of the Pyramids. Note the Elephant figure dividing the two reliefs.
West Side, of the (Former) Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Building
Main Courtyard Gate
A ventilation grate on the Perelman Building
Detail from Window Grate
Detail from Window Grate
Wolves, Owl and Beehive.
The Fates
The Fates; Clotho, Lachesis, and Antrhropos. In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Moirai (/ˈmɔɪraɪ, -riː/) often known in English as the Fates—were the personifications of destiny. They were three sisters: Clotho (the spinner), Lachesis (the allotter), and Atropos (the inevitable, a metaphor for death). Their Roman equivalent is the Parcae. From Wikipedia
An Indian Brave and a Locomotive. These suggest North America.
Here we see a European Castle and a Knight upon his steed.
Here we see a dragon, and a Persian idol. Note the elephant in between them.
Here we see an African warrior, and a set of Pharaohs, perched by the Nile River, gazing at the Pyramids.
These are the Fates, most likely destroyed when Throop Hall at Caltech was so stupidly demolished. .
The Big Dog as a symbol of fidelity. Fidelity is where the popular dog name "Fido" comes from.