Guardians of Detroit: Architectural Sculpture in the Motor City

by Jeff Morrison

Detroit is home to amazing architectural sculpture―a host of gargoyles, grotesques, and other silent guardians that watch over the city from high above its streets and sidewalks, often unnoticed or ignored by the people passing below. Jeff Morrison's Guardians of Architectural Sculpture in the Motor City documents these incredible features in a city that began as a small frontier fort and quickly grew to become a major metropolis and industrial titan.

Detroit developed steadily following its founding in 1701. From 1850 to 1930 it experienced unprecedented population growth, increasing from 21,019 to over 1,500,000 people. A city of giants, Detroit became home to people of towering ambition and vision who gained wealth and sought to leave their mark on the city they loved. This aspiration created a massive building boom during a time when architectural styles favored detailed ornamentation, resulting in a collection of architectural sculpture unmatched by any other U.S. city. Guardians of Detroit is a first-of-its-kind project to explore, document, and explain this singular collection on a building-by-building basis and to discover and share the stories of these structures and the artists, artisans, and architects who created them. Using a 600-millimeter lens and 23-megapixel camera, Morrison brings sculptural building details barely visible to the naked eye down from the heights, making them available for up-close appreciation. The photos are arranged in a collage format that emphasizes the variety of and relationships between each building's sculptural ornamentation. Well-researched text complements the photography, delving into the lives of those who created these wonderful works of architectural art.

Guardians of Detroit is an extended love letter to the historic architecture of a city that would become the driving force of America's industrial and economic power. Fans of art, architecture, and hidden gems will love poring over these pages.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction

316 pages, Hardcover

Published March 4, 2019

Reviews

[Julie Herringa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone with no background in architecture and little knowledge of Detroit, this was a fantastic book! It was full of beautiful sculpture, interesting facts, and history of buildings and the people who imagined them. Very beautiful and substantially printed

[Mathew Duman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff is is a fellow seeker of architectural sculpture. This book is filled with many hundreds of exquisite photographs as well as exhaustive research into the history and creators of Detroit's architectural sculpture. Jeff has a keen eye for detail and finds features most would pass by without a second thought!

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A neat coffee table book exploring the external statuary and carvings on ~200 Detroit buildings built in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some fascinating history of the buildings as well. I wish there had been pictures of the insides and more detail about the buildings, but this book focused almost all on the external decorative finishes.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book. The photos are outstanding and each building is introduced with a brief history of its design and symbolism. The maps in the back pinpoint each building enabling an in-person view of the Guardians.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular book on the architectural treasures of Detroit ! I went to a presentation by this author and photographer and historian and was fascinated by the art and knowledge and dedication of this man ! So when I recently visited Detroit I was able to spot these treasures.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning visual tour of Detroit. If you have an interest in Detroit, sculptures, architecture or history you will want to add this book to your collection.

[Anne Kabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, informative, delightful.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly beautiful, well researched, well presented, detail without being overwhelming. A gorgeous gift book for a lover or architecture or Detroit.