Alice Jacobsen

Alice "Zani" Jacobsen (1928–1993) was an American postwar and contemporary sculptor who resided on the North Side of Chicago. She is known for her plaster sculptural reliefs of buildings, structures, and famous landmarks that she felt "'represent an important Chicago style' or demonstrate an innovative solution to technical construction problems."

Early life and education Jacobsen was a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).

Career

Subjects and style Her subjects include local taverns, popular theaters, neighborhood fire stations, and private homes that were built in the middle to late 1800s and early 1900s and represent Victorian architecture. She depicted extant buildings in Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Wicker Park, Old Town Triangle, the Gold Coast, Prairie Avenue, Pilsen, Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Pullman neighborhoods. Some of her more popular subjects include the Chicago Water Tower, Riverview Amusement Park, and Comiskey Park.

Design process alt=Black-and-white images of miniature ornate buildings, each displayed individually and labeled with a number beneath.

Jacobsen's design process started with her and her husband driving the streets of Chicago in search of potential subjects. They navigated their way through the city by using a grid map that distinguished the boundaries of the then 176 neighborhoods of Chicago. When she found a potential subject, she would photograph it in detail before using the photos as a reference to recreate an authentic scaled down version. Before starting any work, Jacobsen would thoroughly research each subject, including building styles and materials popular during that era. Her biggest source of information for this was The Chicago Historical Society, neighborhood groups, and local nostalgia enthusiasts. the Avalon Theater,

Jacobsen's recreation of the Old Paradise and Chicago Theaters were featured in an exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.

Professional affiliations She was a member of the Theatre Historical Society.

Personal life and death Alice "Zani" Jacobsen, 65, died September 4, 1993, of cancer at her home in Chicago. Survivors include her husband, Albert "Nix" Jacobsen; and two sisters.