This sculpture is a model for a decorative ornament on Midway Gardens, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This large building was one of Chicago’s famous pleasure resorts, with indoor dining, outdoor terraces, and a cabaret.
The sculptor Iannelli designed much of the building’s ornament. This head is an imaginary being called a sprite—like a fairy or an elf. Photographs of Midway Gardens, which was torn down in 1929, show Ianelli’s sprites topping columns and entrance gates.