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Middlefield Post
By Christina Grand Porter
T
Feb. 18, 2015
Who Built the First Snowmen?
here is no answer to who made the first snowman or when because these works of art melt and leave no trace. It seems that the first known artistic depiction of a snowman was an illustration in a work titled Book of Hours from 1380. During the 14th century, snowmen often resembled specific people and were built by adults trying to convey a message, like frozen political cartoons. In the Middle Ages, making snowmen was an early form of both political commentary and pornography. People would walk the streets in the evenings and view scenes depicting political tableaus and sexual acts. In his day, Michelangelo was known to entertain people with sculptured snow figures. There is an actual written record by the art historian Giorgio Vasari that in January of 1494 “when a great deal of snow fell in Florence, [Piero de’ Medici] had him make in his courtyard a statue of snow, which was very beautiful.” It was a commissioned work, so Michelangelo was paid for his effort. Nothing else is known about that particular snowman except that it happened, it was very beautiful, and it melted. Because it is known to have definitely existed, it is considered one of the world’s great lost works of art. Snowmen are usually formed from three snowballs in Europe and North America, but in East Asia, people use two spheres. Today snowmen pop up in every imaginable art and entertainment form. They are the ultimate symbol of the winter season and we can’t imagine those cold months without them The world’s largest snowman was actually a woman. Olympia was made in Bethel, Maine and named after Maine senator Olympia Snowe in 2008. She was 122 feet, one inch
vote high and holds the Guinness world record for the largest snowman. Olympia was built in a little more than a month and wore a 100 foot scarf. She had 27 foot evergreen trees for arms, 5 foot wreathes for eyes and eyelashes made from 16 old skis. The entire town, young and old, pitched in to help create Olympia. Part of the magic of snowmen is the fact that they are so temporary. Even when the cold weather hangs on, a snowy sculpture changes constantly due to sun, wind and other factors. Then at the first sign of a warm up, they get shorter and shorter and more and more crooked as they melt away to nothing. Building snowmen is a wonderful way for family and friends to spend time together doing something creative and getting some exercise. Rolling little balls into boulders of snow is the easy part, but it takes muscle and, often, a group effort to get the balls stacked up. The whimsical results are art that is shared with the entire neighborhood. Who hasn’t slowed down to get a longer look at a snowman perched on someone’s front lawn as they drove past? If you can honestly say you never have, then in the cold months when there are no blooming roses to stop and smell, maybe you should slow down to admire the snowmen. On pages 6 and 7, you will find photos of local extremely creative snowmen. Take time to appreciate While not the first, this is the world's largest snowman built in 2008 by each and then cast your vote for your favorite. townspeople of Bethel, Maine in honor of Maine senator Olympia Snowe