Bronx County Courthouse
Joe created this sculptured group in limestone. It is on the Bronx County Courthouse, also known as the Mario Merola Building, in New York City. Joe’s note on the back of a photo by DeWitt Ward reads: ‘Bronx County Court House’ and ‘located on Walton Ave side of street Concourse Village’.
Another photo of the grouping is labeled “Justice” by Joe with this description: “Limestone panel 12’ x 18’ on the city and Municipal Court House Lafayette St. N.Y.C. William Laxx and Matthew Delxxx, architects.” The architects names are not legible. The building was constructed between 1931 and 1934.
Some descriptions credit Joe entirely for this work but a history of the Mario Merola Bronx County Building has this paragraph; “The tall rectangular block sculptures by Adolph A. Weinman are largely allegorical, paying homage to the history of government by law through the ages, beginning with Egypt, Greece, and Rome. They were created with the assistance of collaborators and sculpted by Weinman and his associates, Edward F. Sanford, George Snowden and Joseph Kiselewski.”
With further study we’ll discover Joe’s relationship with Weinman who was older than Joe and a renowned architectural sculptor.
American Academy in Rome
From 1926 through 1929, Joe had a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome located on Via Angelo Masina 5. The Academy holds a series of photographic prints in their online digital archives. Those prints are available for viewing here, along with some portraits done of Joe. At this time, we don't know much about these pieces. You can read more about Joe's time in Rome in his autobiography.
Aphrodite
(1926) First year figure displayed in the courtyard.
Benito Mussolini, 1927
Equestrian group
Female marble head
Female nude
Female nude with draping across legs
Fountain figure
Drawing by Frank Perley Fairbanks taken after a bust by Joseph Kiselewski, 1928
Portrait of George Fraser
Medallion
Orpheus and Eurydices
Portrait of Joseph Kiselewski
by Frank Perley Fairbanks, 1929
Portrait of Joseph Kiselewski
Full length portrait painting of Mr. Kiselewski by Deane Keller
