Alfonso Iannelli

Who was Alfonso Iannelli?

Alfonso Iannelli was an Italian-American sculptor, artist, and industrial designer.

Based in Chicago for most of his life, Iannelli was born in Andretta, Italy on 17 February 17, 1888. He came to America in 1898. He studied to be a sculptor under Gutzon Borglum, later famous for Mount Rushmore.

From 1910 to 1915, he designed posters for the vaudeville acts appearing at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Frank Lloyd Wright's son John saw his work, and the two became friends. John introduced Iannelli's work to his father, Frank Lloyd Wright, who invited Iannelli to work with him on his Midway Gardens project in 1914. Iannelli created several of the Midway's Sprite sculptures for Wright. But Wright took all credit for them, and the two would never collaborate again.

He also collaborated with Chicago architect Enrst Grunfeld on several Art Déco-style plaques in 1929 to 1930 for the Adler Planetarium. These contributions include the zodiac signs of astrology and depictions of the planets in their mythological forms.