Taft, Lorado

Taft, Lorado (b Elmwood, Ill., 29 Apr. 1860; d Chicago, 30 Oct. 1936).
American sculptor, writer, and teacher. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, 1880–6, and taught sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago, 1886–1929. In his day Taft was well known for portraits and allegorical public sculpture, particularly fountains such as The Fountain of Time (1922, Washington Park, Chicago), but he is now remembered mainly for his books The History of American Sculpture (1903), the first comprehensive work on the subject, and Modern Tendencies in Sculpture (1921), in which he defended the academic tradition and attacked abstraction. In addition to writing and teaching, Taft spread his ideas as a public lecturer, touring clubs and schools in Illinois. His studio in Chicago has been preserved as a national monument.