Milton Horn - Honors & Works

Honors & Works

1927-28 Received his earliest commission: the sculptured ceiling for Lentheric Perfume Salon in the Hotel Savoy Plaza in New York, demolished in 1940. In 1928, he married Estelle Oxenhorn, a dancer and, later, an accomplished photographer and documentarian of his work.

1931 Honored by the New England Society of Contemporary Art in Boston by a one-man exhibition.

1932-34 Cataloged Egyptian antiquities and Coptic textiles at the Brooklyn Museum under Jean Capart.

1935 Participated in the Federal Government's Work Projects Administration.

1936 Became a founding member of the Sculptor's Guild.

1938 Completed 'Spirit of the Mail' for the United States Post Office, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

1939 His terracotta relief entitled "Summer" wins prize at the New York World's Fair. In 1939, Horn finished his sculpture, 'Apprenticeship of Colonel Whitin' for the United States Post Office, Whitinsville, Massachusetts.

1939–1949 Served as the Carnegie Professor of Art, and Artist-in-Residence at Olivet College, Olivet, Michigan

1941 "Paul Bunyan Straightening out the Round River" for United States Post Office, Iron River, Michigan

1943-44 Collaborated with Frank Lloyd Wright on a wood relief mural for the Carlton D. Wall House in Plymouth, Michigan.

1947 Completed 'Job', a figure symbolizing the human suffering endured, without loss of faith, by the victims of World War II. In 1949 Horn moved to Chicago.

1950 Received his first commission for a synagogue, 'Not by Might, Nor by Power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts' for the facade of West Suburban Temple Har Zion in River Forest, Illinois. The stone relief depicts the divine presence, the many-eyed Shekhinah, in human form.

1951 'Job' included in the first, and last, juried national show of American sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

1953-4 Sculpted Torah ark doors for South Shore Temple in Chicago. The wooden panels are life-size depictions of two cherubim. Completed the three bronzes "The Teacher, the Mother, the Father" for the PTA headquarters in Chicago

1953-5 Received his first commission from City of Chicago, "Chicago Rising from the Lake" for the Department of Public Works. Installed high on the facade of a parking garage, the piece is now located at ground level on the Columbus Ave. bridge and the Chicago River Walk.

1954-56 Worked on "History of Medicine", four monumental relief pylons, at the West Virginia University Medical Center in Morgantown, West Virginia.

1957 Awarded Citation of Honor by the American Institute of Architects Centennial Conference, Washington, DC.

1957 "Ark-Reredos" in Silling Chapel at the West Virginia University Medical Center (Reredos): wall behind the altar, serving also as the Torah ark. Representatives of the participating faiths agreed on the shared smbolism and architecture of the Ark-Reredos.

1958 Completed bronze relief (depicting a variety of philanthropy-supported activities, such as (from left to right) child care, physical fitness, religious study, scientific research, and care for the ill) for a facade of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. The piece is prominently displayed indoors at 30 S. Wells, the new Jewish Federation headquarters, as of 2007.

1963-65 Worked on the monumental "Hymn to Water" for the Central Water Filtration Plant of the City of Chicago. In this, the largest of his works, the artist used poetic symbols to celebrate water as the sustaining force of life.

1971 Created the "Physician" series of 4 medieval medical relief-carved medallions in gold filled, silver, and bronze; his only work ever made for private sale. Extremely limited production: even with gold at only $36 dollars an ounce in 1971 the gold set of 4 sold for $580.00 .

1972 Honored by the National Sculpture Society.

1975 Death of Estelle Horn.

1976 Awarded Honorary degree, Doctor of Fine Arts, by Olivet College, Michigan. Elected Academician by the National Academy of Design.

1975–1979 Worked on "God and Israel", dedicated in homage to his late wife

1979–1994 Completed a large bronze plaque (25" × 14"), commissioned by Dr. Messaros for the Medical Center at West Virginia University (WVU), which is dedicated to his late wife. Restored the hand carved and cast plaster maquette panels of the history of medicine for installation at West Virginia University. Created and cast three bronze medallions: a portrait of Estelle, a dancer, and a child's portrait. Reworked a number of plasticine sculptures (a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, "Dancer #3" and "Noah's Ark"), made at various times in his career, with the intent of casting them in bronze. Created the Milton Horn Fine Art Trust and the Milton and Estelle Horn Fine Art Study Collection at WVU.

1989 Retrospective exhibit at the Spertus Museum of Judaica. Moved temporarily to Hampstead in London where he created a life size bronze portrait.

1992 Returned to Chicago to work on a piece he called "Rhubarb", a large plant form. Due to his illness the piece was not completed. Worked also at that time to create a large crucifixion relief panel in clay.