This dazzling building features important figures of insurance

Once the Fidelity Life Insurance Building, this is now the beautiful art deco Perelman Building across from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo by Jim Murphy, author of Real Philly History, Real Fast.

Until I began developing a program on “A Fast, Fun Look at Philly’s Awesome Public Art and Sculpture” for “The Philadelphian,” the huge condo across the street from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I had no idea that this beautiful building featured “animals of insurance.” 

But here you see: the opossum of protection, owl of wisdom, pelican of self-sacrifice and squirrel of frugality, repeated across the top. Two dogs of fidelity, are, I believe, at the base of the building.

Some Sources:

https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/projects/bts/archives/museums/0803_PMA/FMlife_PA.pdf

https://www.leelawrie.com/the-former-fidelity-mutual-life-insurance-building-philadelphia-c-1928

https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/pj_display.cfm/87196

https://www.pilgrimtothepast.com/post/the-gods-of-industry