New York, NY, November 19, 2004 -- Patience and Fortitude had a little work done. The restored and cleaned lions guarding The New York Public Library's flagship building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street were unveiled today in front of a crowd of onlookers. Pulling off the protective tarps were Library President Dr. Paul LeClerc; Robert Bates, lead architect on the project, of Walter B. Melvin Architects, LLC; and David S. Ferriero, Andrew W. Mellon Director and Chief Executive of the Research Libraries. The lions emerged looking bright and clean.

Since November 8, the world-famous lion sculptures that flank the Fifth Avenue entrance to The New York Public Library had been out of the public eye behind scaffolded enclosures while they underwent restorative care by a highly regarded team of conservation specialists.

"Like many New Yorkers who take a respite from the city, Patience and Fortitude have returned from a brief time of seclusion looking wonderfully refreshed, but not noticeably altered," remarked Dr. LeClerc. "The lions were showing the inevitable signs of sitting outside for 93 years. They are such powerful and beloved symbols of this city, the Library wished to preserve, improve and stabilize their integrity before any significant deterioration occurs, so they may start their second century of sitting guard in top form."

In 2000, the Library commissioned Bresnan Architects to provide an assessment of the marble lions' condition and recommendations for their conservation. The findings of that report, released in 2001 and revised in 2003, led to the Library's hiring of Walter B. Melvin Architects to create a detailed conservation plan, which was now carried out by a team led by renowned sculpture conservator John Griswold of Los Angeles at a cost of $114,900 in private funds.

The Bresnan report determined that the lions were in structurally sound condition but were showing the visual effects of surface weathering, caused primarily by 10 decades of exposure to the elements and exacerbated by pollutants, people climbing on them (which is prohibited), and the rare act of vandalism. This surface damage appears as a roughness of the marble grain, a slight loss of detail in the carving, and several hairline cracks. Fortitude (the north lion) has also sustained two larger cracks on each side of its mane and is showing the edges and pins of the marble patches -- called dutchmen -- that were installed to correct a design flaw at the time of the sculpture's carving in 1911.

What was done?
The hairline cracks on each lion were injected with grout to stabilize the progress of the cracking. Gypsum deposits were removed by micro-abrasion to deter water and soil retention. General soil cleaning was performed by water misting. Stainless steel pins were installed to secure the two larger cracks, which were finished with a compatible patching material. The perimeter of the dutchmen were repointed and the existing pin holes filled. The Milford Pink granite pedestals on which the lions rest were repointed with a new compatible mortar.

The conservation work was finished in time for the lions to better withstand the next freeze/thaw cycle. However, the traditional wreathing of the lions for the holiday season will not be resumed.

The conservation of the lions is the Library's first step toward reaching its goal of a complete restoration of the exterior of the landmark building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street in time for its centennial in 2011. The entire façade is currently being examined and stabilized in preparation for that multi-year project, which will leave the Library in pristine condition for future generations.

About the Lions
The lions were designed by sculptor Edward Clark Potter and carved from Tennessee Pink marble by the Piccirilli Brothers in 1911. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia named the Library mascots Patience and Fortitude for the attributes he thought every New Yorker should possess. The graphic representation of the lion is the New York Public Library logo and is a registered trademark of The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. The Humanities and Social Sciences Library at 42nd Street was designated an official landmark on January 11, 1967. More on the lions.

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Contact: 212-704-8600 -- Caroline Oyama or Lindy Regan.