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Cobb Gate Sculptures Free of Ivy

  Cobb Gate

The University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus features Gothic-inspired architectural sculpture.  I suggest that you look up at Cobb Gate, the northern entrance to the university's main quadrangle.  Cobb Gate is located on the south side of 57th Street, between University and Ellis Avenues, and it is named after the architect of several of the earliest of the campus' buildings, Henry Ives Cobb.   

Please note the nine grotesques that ornament the top of the gate's structure.  I understand that these whimsical figures may represent:

registrars or the admissions process (the two large figures at the bottom, on each side of the pediment)

first-year students or freshmen (the lowest of the smaller figures creeping up the sloping sides of the pediment)

second- and third-year students (the next two figures climbing the pediment's sides)

the magnificent senior (the large figure at the apex of the pediment)

This photograph of the north side of Cobb Gate was taken from across the street, on the north side of 57th Street.  

Cobb Gate - Detail

From the upper left:

This gate-keeper grotesque glares threateningly downward to the left.  It is also nearly covered by ivy, a situation that I find unfortunate.  Ivy may claim nearly unassailable status on most campuses, but should it be allowed to swallow up these delightful sculptures?  I hope not! 

At the top right, the other gate-keeper figure looks upward to the right, mouth open and tongue out, as if ready to challenge whatever the heavens may provide.  

The photograph on the left in the second row shows all five of the grotesques visible on the left side of the Cobb Gate pediment. 

The photo to the right features the five grotesques that are visible from the right side of Cobb Gate. 

The first photograph in the third row is focused on the three figures at the the top of the gate's pediment.  The two third-year grotesques have almost -- but not quite -- reached their goal.  This may allow looking around a bit or snarling at perceived threats.

The grand senior complacently sits at the very top, fully fledged and looking forward to whatever comes next.  Is that a knot of hair or a crown that graces the senior's head? 

On the bottom left, a first-year grotesque scrambles toward the top.  Note the remains of the ivy vines visible in this late-winter photograph. 

Cobb Gate

This photograph comes from an excellent archive maintained by the Univeristy of Chicago.  It provides a view of Cobb Gate (or Hull Gate, as the photo is labeled on the lower left) from the north.  Although this is an early picture of the gate, enough time had elapsed since its contruction to allow ivy to begin to cover the walls on the left and right of the gate.