
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1968.613
European Painting and Sculpture, Gallery 206
While photographing the feet of a sculpture of two naked men wrestling, at the Art Institute of Chicago, a guard stopped me. She asked what the clip was on my camera.

I walked over to her, and showed her how the clip is a kaleidoscope lens for my iPhone.
Holding my phone up, I showed her the screen and what it looked like when the lens is over the camera. Pretty trippy stuff. (Here’s a 13-second video)
She was astonished by the awesome effect. She asked if that’s how the photos actually appear. So I showed her some photos on my phone. Actually, all the photos in my camera roll were of sculptures’ feet from the museum. All feet. All the photos.

modeled 1855–56, carved 1858 by Randolph Rogers
Art Institute reference number 1896.77 • American Art, Gallery 161
Heh, kinda strange, right? I felt like I had some explaining to do.
What photographs well with a kaleidoscope lens
- bowls of fruit
- flowers
- toes
Basically anything that has multiples. So um, yeah, that’s why I have tons of foot photos in my camera roll. 😉
She was amazed at how the detail remains in the photo, even with the kaleidoscope effect. Yeah, it IS pretty cool.
That day I photographed the feet from 19 different statues at the Art Institute of Chicago.
By the end of my visit, I was quite footigued.

modeled 1855–56, carved 1858 by Randolph Rogers
Art Institute reference number 1896.77 • American Art, Gallery 161

modeled in plaster 1901; sculpted in marble 1914, Lorado Taft
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1914.739 • American Art, Gallery 161

1874, Chauncey Bradley Ives
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 2001.418 • American Art, Gallery 161

Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1984.531 • American Art, Gallery 161

Roman 1st/2nd century
Art Institute reference number 240772

Roman, Asia Minor About 2nd century
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 5.2014

modeled 1855–56, carved 1858″ by Randolph Rogers
Art Institute reference number 1896.77 • American Art, Gallery 161

Frederick W. MacMonnies; Cast by: Jaboeuf et Rouard
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1984.571 • American Art, Gallery 161

Frederick W. MacMonnies; Cast by: Jaboeuf et Rouard
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1984.571 • American Art, Gallery 161

Modeled 1898, cast 1901
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1926.1503 American Art, Gallery 161

modeled in plaster 1901; sculpted in marble 1914, Lorado Taft
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1914.739 • American Art, Gallery 161

1862–63 John Quincy Adams Ward
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1998.1 • American Art, Gallery 171

Artist: Elihu Vedder American, 1836–1923; Modeled by: Charles Keck
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1978.295 • American Art, Gallery 161

Roman, about 2nd century
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 59.2015

14th century India, Tamil Nadu
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 2002.631 • Asian Art, Gallery 141

9th/10th century Artist: Indonesia, Central Java
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1996.673 • Asian Art, Gallery 142

Pala period, about 11th century, India, Bihar
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 2019.729 • Asian Art, Gallery 140

Chola period, about 12th century, India, Tamil Nadu, Nagapattinam
Art Institute of Chicago reference number 1964.556 • Asian Art, Gallery 140
Lots and lots and lots of toes. Lots of foot for thought.