City Hall - Table of Contents
Months window jambs - City Hall
Buffalo, NY
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Built: |
1929-1931 |
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Architect: |
Dietel Wade & Jones |
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Jambs designer: |
John Wade, |
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Jambs sculptor: |
Rene P. Chambellan |
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Jambs material; |
Gray Minnesota limestone |
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Window surround material: |
Bronze |
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Window style: |
Casement |
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Style: |
Art Deco |
Jamb: One of a pair of vertical posts or pieces forming the sides of a door, window frame, or fireplace
Bas-relief: A sculptural carving, embossing, or casting that projects very little from the background
"Designed by John Wade, sculpted by Rene P. Chambellan, the jambs resemble those at the Nebraska State Capitol." - Jennifer Walkowski, Americanesque: Exploring Modern Civic Identity at Buffalo City Hall, p. 52
| Each
of the six large casement windows on the first story, starting to the
right (north) of the main entrance portico, has a bronze Art Deco geometic surround and an original window bas-relief jamb sculpture representing one of the 12 months of the year. -------------- January and February  January and February Left: Portico frieze photos  January and February [Ed: January: Herald announcing the beginning a new year? Angel?] January: Janus, Roman god of doors, beginnings, sunset and sunrise, had one face looking forward and one backward
February: On February 15 the Romans celebrated the festival of forgiveness for sins; (februare, Latin to purify), It was not originally included in the Roman calendar which began with March.  January  February |
March and April  March and April [Ed: March: Bellows to indicate the winds of March ... April: Raindrops} March: Mars, the Roman god of war
April: Roman month Aprilis, perhaps derived from aperire, (Latin to open, as in opening buds and blossoms) or perhaps from Aphrodite, original Greek name of Venus  March  April |
May and June  May and June [Ed: May: pan pipes? ... June: stylized flowers?] May: Maia, Roman goddess, mother of Mercury by Jupiter and daughter of Atlas
June: Juno, chief Roman goddess  May  June |
July and August  July and August [Ed: July: Sun] July: Renamed for Julius Caesar
in 44 BC, who was born this month; Quintilis, Latin for fifth month,
was the former name (the Roman year began in March rather than January)
August: Formerly Sextilis (sixth month in the Roman calendar); re-named in 8 BC for Augustus Caesar
 July  August |
September and October  September and October [Ed: September: fruits and vegetables harvest ... October: falling leaves] September: September, (septem,
Latin for 7) the seventh month in the Julian or Roman calendar,
established in the reign of Julius Caesar
October: Eighth month (octo, Latin for 8) in the Julian (Roman) calendar. The Gregorian calendar instituted by Pope Gregory XIII established January as the first month of the year  September  October |
November and December  November and December [Ed: November: Snowflakes ... December: Cronus, Father Time, holding an hourglas to symbolize the end of the year] November: Ninth Roman month
(novem, Latin for 9). Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar
in 1582, skipping 10 days that October, correcting for too many leap
years
December: Julian (Roman) year's tenth month (decem, Latin for 10)  November  December |
