Overview

Eleanor Platt was one of the foremost classical American sculptors of the 20th Century. Her works are included in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, the Hall of Great Americans at New York University, the Supreme Court, as well as in other museums, universities, and government buildings, and private collections throughout the country. Platt was a portraitist, sculpting busts and commemorative medals of many important historical figures of the 19th and 20th centuries, especially within the judiciary and government. Throughout her prolific career she sculpted over 40 busts, 10 portrait reliefs, and 30 medals, while serving important positions within the arts community. Sculpting was Platt's only career, she made a fully independent living from her art. This was especially impressive considering she graduated from art school in the middle of the Great Depression. She quickly made a name for herself with her early works of Learned Hand, John Flanagan, and Arthur Lee. Her career spanned almost five decades. Her career also included Platt acted as her own business agent negotiating all aspects of her work including materials, contracts, casting, proofs, photography, shipping arrangements, and communications with her customers. She kept her own studio/apartment in Manhattan at the Hotel Park Plaza for many years and refused to leave when the neighborhood declined because she said she loved the natural light in her studio. She sculpted her portraits from both sittings and photographs. At times throughout her career she was also asked to educate, teach, and lecture. Platt married Charles J. Flavin in 1944, divorced, and then married Victor Russo until his death in 1957.

Early years and background

Eleanor Platt was born in Woodbridge, New Jersey, May 6th, 1910 to George Gilbert Platt Jr. and Eva (Smith) Platt. Platt had three older siblings: Howard, Florence, and Lester. Being the youngest child earned her the family nickname Babe, which stayed with her throughout her life.

Education

Platt studied exclusively with the Norwegian-born sculptor Arthur Lee and Edward McCarten from 1929 to 1933 at the Art Student League of New York In 1934 she finished her formal education at the Continuation School in New York City. In 1940 she received the Chaloner Prize. In 1944 she was granted $1,000 from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 1945 she was named a Guggenheim Fellow.

Work Associations

Eleanor did all of her sculpting in her residence at the Hotel Park Plaza in New York City. She worked both from live sittings and photographs, sometimes using historical photographs of subjects. All of her busts were sent to the Roman Bronze company in Corona New York for casting and coloring/finishing. Some of her bases and pedistals were produced by Coopersburg granite company. Sculptures of medals were sent to Medallic Art Company (MACO) for casting and production. A number of her works were then sent on to the Peter A. Juley & Son photography studio where photographs were produced for clients. Several busts and works were sent to Peter A. Juley & Son in their original sculted form for photographing. Several of those photographs are featured in the galleries below. There were a few exceptions to these processes which are also noted. The Hall of Fame medals Platt produced were distributed by the coin and Currency Institute, Inc., appointed by the Medallic Art Company as the sole distributor of the Great Americans Series. medallic works by Platt all bearing portraits, re used of high honor. A series of silver portrait coins were produced by the Franklin Mint.

Death

Platt was found dead in her studio at the Park Plaza Hotel on West 77th Street in New York City on August 30, 1974. Her death was initially ascribed to heart failure, but it was later determined that she was killed by Calvin Jackson, a serial killer who had murdered eight other women, most in the Park Plaza where he also lived. She was survived by her mother, a sister, and a brother.