Object ID
2015.17.2
Object Name
Photograph
Date Created
1980
Event
Unveiling Ceremony of the Sculpture of Hippocrates, U of I Medical Center
Medium
Photo Paper
Object Description
This picture shows the statue of Hippocrates being held by straps attached to a crane. Two workers stand on scaffolding behind the statue, removing the straps. The statue is of white marble and depicts a bearded man wearing a toga. He has his right hand on a small column or pedestal, around which is coiled a snake. The statue is sitting in an outdoor area in front of a building. There are trees and bushes and the street can be seen on the right side of the picture. There is a person standing to the left of the picture whose arm can be seen holding the scaffolding.
Origin
Hippocrates was a Greek physician born in 460 BC on the island of Cos. Hippocrates created the field of medicine as it is known today, establishing it as its own profession. Hippocrates made a number of important contributions to the field of medicine, many of which are still relevant. He is known as the Father of Western Medicine. He is believed to have written the Hippocratic Oath, which outlines the ethical standards that physicians are bound to uphold, and which is still in use today. The sculpture was created by Costos Georgakas in Greece in 1972. It was given to the University of Illinois by Andrew Fasseas, a prominent member of the Greek-American community, and the Hippocrates Monument fund and was unveiled in 1980. Fasseas was born in Sparta and immigrated to Chicago at the age of 12. As an adult, Fasseas worked for the state government, as well as owning a baking company, a newspaper, and a bank. He also provided money and supplies to help improve his native region of Greece and to aid Greek disaster victims. He was honored by the Greek government in 1969 and died in 1988. He was survived by his wife, Angelyn, and his two sons, Milton and Peter.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Photograph, 1980, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/4847. Accessed 04/16/24.