(1892-1972)

Italian-born sculptor Albert Milani's majestic marble eagles crown the Art Deco-style Tennessee Supreme Court building across the street, constructed in the early 1930s. Tennessee marble, perhaps Knoxville's most famous natural resource, has been quarried and carved for use in numerous buildings and monuments, locally and nationally. With abundant quarries in operation surrounding Knoxville, it is no wonder that the city earned the name "Marble City" in the late 1880s.
Milani, an Italian immigrant, arrived in Knoxville around 1910 with 25 cents in his pocket. Hired by the Candoro Marble Company in South Knoxville, he served as foreman at that well-known producer, until his retirement in the late 1960s. However, it was at his home studio on Sutherland Avenue that he carved many exquisite sculptures that showcased his considerable talent.
Milani's work is featured in the Knoxville Museum of Art as well at the Candoro Arts and Heritage Center in South Knoxville. One of his most unusual commissions, a memorial to Knoxville-born racing car driver, Albert Jacob "Pete" Kreis, can be found nearby at Asbury Cemetery. Kreis was killed on a practice lap at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1934. The sculpture was recognized as the Most Outstanding Memorial by the New York Times.
Main Image: Thompson Photograph



Collection, McClung Historical Collection
Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit with a mission to research and promote the history and culture of Knoxville. KHP's educational articles and publications feature colorful characters, bizarre tales, interesting buildings, curious traditions, as well as seriously influential local events. Learn more at knoxvillehistoryproject.org

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