{{Short description|American sculptor (1915–2004)}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Spero Anargyros | image = Spero Anargyros.png | caption = Spero Anargyros | birth_name = Spero Drosos Anargyros | birth_date = January 23, 1915 | birth_place = [[New York City]], New York, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|09|10|1915|01|23}} | death_place = [[San Mateo, California|San Mateo]], California, U.S. | education = [[Art Students League of New York]] | occupation = Sculptor, medalist | spouse = Florence “Nedra” Harrison (m. 1940– 1969; div.)<br />Barbara Brooks (div.)<br />Maria Ester Mendez Dequiroga (m. 1982–2004; his death) }} [[File:Mahonri_Young_and_Spero_Anargyros_(19d35ecd-155d-451f-67e6-ced90eb4eb24).jpg|alt=Spero Anargyros (left) and Mahonri Young (right), at Weir Farm National Historical Park|thumb|Spero Anargyros (left) and Mahonri Young (right), at [[Weir Farm National Historical Park]]]] '''Spero Drosos Anargyros''' (January 23, 1915 – September 10, 2004) was an American sculptor and [[medalist]], active in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]].<ref name="Rubenstein-2004">{{Cite news |last=Rubenstein |first=Steve |date=September 15, 2004 |title=Spero Anargyros -- renowned S.F. sculptor |url=http://www.sfgate.com:80/bayarea/article/Spero-Anargyros-renowned-S-F-sculptor-2725343.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614011444/http://www.sfgate.com:80/bayarea/article/Spero-Anargyros-renowned-S-F-sculptor-2725343.php |archive-date=2014-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=[[SFGate]] |language=en |type=Obituary}}</ref><ref name="Marquis Who's Who-2003">{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hS4ca_siHt0C |title=Who's Who in American Art |date=June 2003 |publisher=Marquis Who's Who, LLC |isbn=978-0-8379-6304-4 |pages=24 |language=en |chapter=Anargyros, Spero}}</ref> He was known for his large scale memorials and public art sculptures, as well as small medals.
== Early life and education == Spero Anargyros was born on January 23, 1915, in New York City, to parents to Martha and Drosos Anargyros.<ref name="Rubenstein-2004" /><ref name="Boyle-2023">{{Cite journal |last1=Boyle |first1=Rachel |last2=Shannon |first2=Hope |date=March 2023 |title=Historic Resource Study of Laborers at Weir Farm National Historical Park, 1882–1957 |url=https://www.nps.gov/wefa/learn/historyculture/upload/WEFA-Labor-Study-2023.pdf |journal=National Park Service |publisher=National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior |pages=128–133 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520015318/https://www.nps.gov/wefa/learn/historyculture/upload/WEFA-Labor-Study-2023.pdf |archive-date=May 20, 2024}}</ref> He was the son of a Greek immigrant.<ref name="Rubenstein-2004" /> He studied in 1934 to 1935 at the [[Art Students League of New York]], under [[William Zorach]].<ref name="Marquis Who's Who-2003" /> He continued his studied with [[Louis Slobodkin]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 5, 1969 |title=Napa Artist Will Exhibit At Depot |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-napa-artist-will-exhibi/178206735/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=The Times-Herald |pages=24 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name="The Press Democrat-1968">{{Cite news |date=December 17, 1968 |title=Sculptor Anargyros, Painter Mrs. Smigle In Yountville Show |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-press-democrat-sculptor-anargyros-p/178207312/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=[[The Press Democrat]] |pages=3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
== Career == In his early career Anargyros secured a federal commission through the [[Works Progress Administration]] (WPA) to complete a [[bas relief]] for a New Jersey post office.<ref name="Boyle-2023" /> In 1940, he was employed by the Manhattan Wax and Candle Company.<ref name="Boyle-2023" /> During [[World War II]], Anargyros was stationed in northern Africa in an ambulance unit.<ref name="Boyle-2023" />
Anargyros worked as the chief assistant under [[Mahonri Young]] from 1944 to 1947, on the ''[[This Is the Place Monument|This is the Place Monument]]''.<ref name="Marquis Who's Who-2003" /><ref name="The Salt Lake Tribune-2004">{{Cite news |date=September 12, 2004 |title=Monument sculptor Spero Anargyros dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-monument-sculptor/178206425/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]] |pages=24 |type=Obituary |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name="Boyle-2023" /> They worked at the [[Weir Farm National Historical Park]] for the duration of the project and Anargyros lived in [[Branchville, Connecticut]].<ref name="Boyle-2023" /> In 1947, Anagyros moved to [[Los Angeles]], where he focused on portraits of celebrities;<ref name="The Press Democrat-1968" /> and shortly thereafter moved to San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ronck |first=Ronn |date=May 1, 1973 |title=Anagyros: No Child's Dolls |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pacific-daily-news-anagyros-no-childs/178208191/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=Pacific Daily News |pages=9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
The [[Palace of Fine Arts]] in San Francisco structure was originally designed by architect [[Bernard Maybeck]], with decorative sculptures by [[Ulric Ellerhusen]]; built for the [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition|1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition]] (PPIE) as a temporary structure. It was completely rebuilt in the 1960s and 1970s. Anargyros worked in the 1960s on the recreation of the 52 weeping lady outdoor sculptures standing at {{Convert|15|ft}} tall for the Palace of Fine Arts.<ref name="Sheldon-1967">{{Cite news |last=Sheldon |first=Jerome |date=September 29, 1967 |title=Sculptor had problems with Arts Palace Statues |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-peninsula-times-tribune-sculptor-had/178207781/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=The Peninsula Times Tribune |pages=14 |via=[[Newspaper.com]]}}</ref> He also modeled other figures for the Palace of Fine Arts, including {{Convert|22|ft}} tall [[Centaur|centaurs]], and angels.<ref name="Sheldon-1967" />
Some of Anargyros sculpted portraits included [[Kirk Douglas]], [[George Moscone]], Vic Bergeron of [[Trader Vic's]], [[Ed Daly|Edward Daly]], [[Haile Selassie]], and [[Nelson Mandela]].<ref name="Boyle-2023" />
Anargyros died following an illness at the age of 89 on September 10, 2004, in a hospital in [[San Mateo, California]].<ref name="Rubenstein-2004" />
== Personal life == Anargyros was married three times. His first marriage was to Florence “Nedra” Harrison (1915–2004), from 1940 until 1969, and ended in divorce.<ref name="Boyle-2023" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Michael |date=October 5, 2004 |title=Nedra Harrison Anargyros – model for cartoon Dragon Lady |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Nedra-Harrison-Anargyros-model-for-cartoon-2689733.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416003338/https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Nedra-Harrison-Anargyros-model-for-cartoon-2689733.php |archive-date=2021-04-16 |access-date=2025-08-07 |work=[[SFGATE]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Anargyros was married to Barbara Brooks for seven years in the 1970s.<ref name="Boyle-2023" /> His final marriage was to Maria Ester Mendez Dequiroga in 1982, together they lived in [[San Bruno, California]] and the marriage ended in his death in 2004.<ref name="Rubenstein-2004" /><ref name="Boyle-2023" />
== List of works == * ''[[This Is the Place Monument]]'' (1947), Salt Lake City, Utah; as chief assistant<ref name="The Salt Lake Tribune-2004" /> * ''First Westerners'' (1957), bronze bas-relief, [[First Western Bank and Trust Company]] (now Lloyds Bank California), San Francisco, California * ''[[Seal of San Francisco]]'' (1960) white sierra [[granite]], [[Hall of Justice (San Francisco)|Hall of Justice]], 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco, California * ''Jesus on the Cross'' (1973), 12' bronze, private Martinez family [[mausoleum]], Guam<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 21, 1973 |title=Sculptor portrays Christ's joy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tri-valley-news-sculptor-portrays-christ/178207642/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=Tri-Valley News |pages=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> * ''Pedro Camacho Lujan'' ''Memorial'' (1975) 7' bronze with 6' concrete base, P. C. Lujan Elementary School (formerly known as East Barrigada Elementary School), [[Barrigada, Guam]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ronck |first=Ronn |date=March 3, 1975 |title=P. C. Lujan A Man To Be Proud Of |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pacific-daily-news-p-c-lujan-a-man-to/178206863/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=Pacific Daily News |pages=18 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> * ''Indian Being Attacked by a Bear'' (1982) cast stone, California State Capitol, Sacramento, California; replica of Pietro Mezzara's 1873 work<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indian Being Attacked by a Bear, (sculpture), American Art Museum |url=https://www.si.edu/object/siris_ari_331509 |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Indian Being Attacked by a Bear, (sculpture). |url=https://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=ariall&source=~!siartinventories&uri=full=3100001~!331509~!0#focus |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 29, 1981 |title=Legislators see artist's models for state Capitol |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-legislators-see-artists/178208149/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |work=[[Oakland Tribune]] |pages=28 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> * ''Woman Being Attacked by a Buffalo'' (1982) cast stone, California State Capitol, Sacramento, California; replica of Pietro Mezzara's 1873 work * ''Gen. [[John A. Sutter]]'' (1987), bronze with stone base, [[Sutter General Hospital]], 1115 28th Street, Sacramento, California<ref>{{Cite web |title=General John A. Sutter, (sculpture) |url=https://learninglab.si.edu/resources/view/446290 |website=Smithsonian Learning Lab}}</ref> * ''Memorial to Byron Pierson Jensen'' (1988), bronze raccoon, [[San Bruno Mountain]], [[Brisbane, California]]; stolen in 2007<ref>{{Citation |last= |title=Spero Anargyros and his Memorial to Byron Jensen |date=1988 |url=http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt6n39r1hr |access-date=2025-08-05 |publisher=Calisphere |language=English}}</ref> * ''[[Hills Brothers Coffee]] Drinker'' (1992), 9' tall [[Polychrome|polychromed]] bronze, [[The Embarcadero (San Francisco)|The Embarcadero]], 2 Harrison Street, San Francisco, California; NRHP-listed<ref name="Marquis Who's Who-2003" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Hills Bros. Coffee Sculpture |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hills-bros-coffee-sculpture |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=Atlas Obscura |language=en}}</ref> * ''Bust of Mayor [[George Moscone]]'' (1994), bronze, [[San Francisco City Hall]], 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco, California<ref name="Rubenstein-2004" /> * ''Bust of Mayor George Moscone'' (1994), bronze, [[Moscone Center]], Third Street Entrance to Moscone South, San Francisco, California<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public Art In and Around The Moscone Center |url=https://www.sftravel.com/article/public-art-moscone-center |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=San Francisco Travel |language=en}}</ref> * ''Bronze Bust of Mahonri Mackintosh Young'', bronze, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Connecticut
== See also == * [[Robert Arneson]] (1930–1992), sculptor
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Commons-inline}} * [https://dickjohnsonsdatabank.com/anargyros-spyro.html Profile] in Dick Johnsons Data Bank
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Anargyros, Spero}} [[Category:1915 births]] [[Category:2004 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century American sculptors]] [[Category:American medallists]] [[Category:20th-century medallists]] [[Category:American people of Greek descent]] [[Category:Artists from New York City]] [[Category:Artists from San Francisco]] [[Category:Art Students League of New York alumni]] [[Category:People from San Bruno, California]]