Frank Eliscu

Frank Eliscu (July 13, 1912 – June 19, 1996) was an American sculptor and art teacher who designed and created the Heisman Memorial Football Trophy in 1935[1] when he was only 23 years old.

[2] Eliscu amassed a body of work that spans from public fountains to ex-President Gerald Ford's inaugural medal (later given as a gift to Leonid Brezhnev when Ford visited Russia), to the five-story bronze frieze that decorates the glass panes above the doors to the Library of Congress.

"[6] Following his service, the unique research Eliscu did on tattooing pigmentation to cover the discoloration from skin grafts and for people with port wine stains was used at the New York Hospital.

[8] The four-story falling books on the face of the Library of Congress building in Washington, D.C., took Eliscu 10 years to complete and in 1985 won him top honors from the National Sculpture Society.

The heroic bronze, along with Eliscu's plaque of Uncle Joe Cannon in the same city, has been declared a national monument, and by law can never be removed or changed in any way.

[17] and subsequently began created sculptures and jewelry for Henry Landwirth and Give Kids the World program.

[18] Steuben Glass commissioned Eliscu to do the engraving design for many of their pieces, including "Carousel of the Seasons", "To a Giraffe", "Daniel" and "St. Francis".

He was called "an imaginative realist"; Eliscu often draws on biblical and classical themes for his sculpture designs.

Other works for Steuben include a "Noah's Ark" shown on the cover of the Review, and "Daniel in the Lion’s Den".

[20] The Architectural League of New York was quoted as saying, "Frank Eliscu, one of our sculptural colleagues scored a resounding success for himself, the profession, and our country, with his collection of twenty bronzes sponsored by the United States Embassy ...

The result not only boosted the United States’ reputation in cultural circles but prompted a nationwide tour of the exhibit south of the border.