John Vassar House completing his last hollow wax sculpture in hot summer of Rome ready for hollow lost wax casting in year 1980
BornFebruary 19, 1926 Niagara Falls, NY
DiedMarch 29, 1982 Dallas, TX
NationalityAmerican
OccupationSculptor
EducationBA Harvard University in 1949 – MFA Cranbrook Art Academy in 1952
Known forOutdoor and commemorative sculpture

John Vassar House (February 19, 1926 – March 29, 1982) was an American bronze sculptor recognized for creating outdoor and commemorative sculptures. He was a renowned bronze sculptor known for his proficiency in the lost wax casting technique. Throughout his career, he created a portfolio of sculptures that decorated various international locations, displaying deep cultural insights and reflecting the impact of his residencies in different cities.

Contents
  1. Early life and education
  2. Career
  3. Obituary
  4. List of styles and mediums
  5. Sculpture works
  6. Art Critics
  7. Gallery shows
  8. References
1. Early life and education

            John Vassar House pursued his education at Harvard University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1949 and earning a Master of Fine Arts from the Cranbrook Art Academy in 1952.

2. Career

            John Vassar House’s career spanned several decades and had various styles and mediums, showcasing his versatility and artistic evolution in bronze forms. John Vassar House worked primarily in Rome, Italy (since 1957) where he had his own studio. He built the sculpture waxes to be cast in Italy to then ship, mainly to the US. His sculptures ranged from joined figurative to organic and abstract bronze works. Notably, John Vassar House specialized in outdoor and indoor sculpture projects. He designed some large architectural sculpture projects, although these remained unrealized despite significant models being created, such as the Peace Tower for the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s anchorage in the Bahamas and the West Coast Tower.

            His extensive body of work included commemorative bronzes, large bronze and steel commissions, university and museum collections, church commissions, and other acquisitions distributed across different countries, including the United States and Italy. John Vassar House sculptures were displayed in numerous prestigious institutions and private collections worldwide.

            Over his career, John Vassar House taught at Ridley College of St. Catherine’s Ontario from 1949-‘51; Cranbrook Boys school in Bloomfield Hills from 1952-‘57, Michigan; Overseas School of Rome from 1957-‘59; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis from1965-‘67;  Intercontinental Club of Rome from 1968-‘75 and University of Texas, Dallas from 1981-‘82.

3. Obituary

            John Vassar House passed away on March 29, 1982, in Dallas, Texas, after battling cancer. Despite his illness, he remained dedicated to his artistic endeavors until the end, leaving a legacy of creativity, dedication, and craftsmanship.

            John Vassar House was survived by his wife, Amparo Lliso Marco, Spanish concert pianist and by his son and daughter.

4. List of styles and mediums

            Following is the list of sculpture phases he went through in his life.

  • Reliefs – years 1950-1970
  • Abstract/representational – years 1952-1970
  • Organic Pods, seeds, birth – years 1959-1964
  • Organic Vertebrae – years 1960-1961
  • Hydro Wave – years 1960-1970
  • Representational – years 1959-1978
  • Arches Bridges – years 1962-1965
  • Phalanx shields – years 1963-1974
  • Rollers, seals and wheels – years 1966-1971
  • Laminations – years 1968-1977
  • Passage tunnel – years 1970-1977
  • Cantilever and circuit (letters and numbers) – years 1972-1979
  • Columbus and Towers – years 1973-1976
  • Wedges – years 1975-1980
5. Sculpture works

            Over his professional life John Vassar House casted about 250 bronzes. Many of these sculptures were models intended to be enlarged. The cast model in fact, was used to sell the piece of sculpture. All the other bronzes are privately owned. Following is the list of his main works and commissions over his career.

Commemorative Bronzes

  • “European Parliament”- for the first direct election of Parliament members – Headquarters, Strasbourg, France, 1979
  • “Common Market” – for the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome – Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, 1977
  • “Homage to A. Graham Bell”- for the 100th anniversary of the invention of the telephone AT&T Long Lines Headquarters, Bedminster, NJ. 1976
  • “Square rigger”- for the 200th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party – State Street Bank Headquarters, Quincy, MA. 1974
  • “Columbus Underwater Marker”- for the 500th anniversary of Columbus anchorage – San Salvador Island, Bahamas, 1972

Large Bronze Commissions

  • “Winged element”- John Eagle, Dallas, TX. 1980
  • “Spark” – Carborundum Co. Headquarters, Niagara Falls, NY. 1978
  • “16 columns and bronzes” – Banca Popolare di Milano, Rome Italy, 1976
  • “Ager” – Banca Nazionale dell’Agricoltura, now Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena Headquarters, Rome, Italy, 1975
  • “Peace Light Tower”- for the 500th anniversary of Columbus anchorage – San Salvador Island, Bahamas, 1973
  • “Northwoods Staccato”- General Mills Headquarters, Wayzata, MN. 1972
  • “Table of Elements”- Hooker Chemical Corp., Grand Island, NY. 1968
  • “The Cavaliers “- Cavalieri Hilton Hotel, Rome, Italy, 1963

Large Steel Commissions

  • “Sun up at Quorum”- DAON Corporation, Dallas, Irvine, TX. 1980

University Collections

  • New York University, NY.
  • Niagara University, NY.
  • University of Iowa, Sioux City, IA.
  • University of Texas, Austin, TX.

Museum Collections

  • Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo, NY
  • Joslyn Museum, Omaha, NB.
  • Museo de Arte Moderna, Cuenca, Spain
  • Museum of Rochester, Rochester, NY.

Other Acquisitions

  • Astronomical Observatory, Rome, Italy 1979
  • New York State Power Authority, NY. 1976
  • AIRCO, Niagara Falls, NY. 1970
  • General Mills Headquarters, Wayzata, MN.1965
  • Carborundum Co. Headquarters, Niagara Falls, NY.1962

Church Commissions

  • Brazilian, Dutch, French, German, Italian churches in Rome and church in Nagoya, Japan 1960-68
6. Art critics
7. Gallery shows
  • Sisti Galleries, 469 Franklin St Buffalo, NY. 1960
  • 10 Young American Artists, Palazzo Venezia, Rome, Italy 1960
  • Galleria l’Attico, Piazza di Spagna, Rome, Italy 1961
  • Galleria Pagani del Grattacielo Scultura Contemporanea, Milano, Italy 1962
  • Galleria il Bilico, Via Brunetti 51, Rome, Italy 1965
  • Dayton’s Gallery, 700 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN. 1966
  • Castellani Art Museum, exhibition Curated by Niagara University, 7 Varsity Drive, NY. 2024
8. References