The two lion sculptures, named Patience and Fortitude, have stood in front of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street for 109 years, according to NYPL. Their masks ...

A face mask adorning one of the iconic lion statues at the entrance of the Art Institute of Chicago was stolen Thursday evening, less than 24 hours after the symbolic masks were applied.

Ancient Roman funeral processions were led by professional mourners who wore masks of the recently deceased’s ancestors. But because the masks were made from wax, none survived.

Mark Witteveen, owner of The Chicago Flyhouse, places a city of Chicago flag mask on one of the lions outside the Art Institute on April 30, 2020. Chicago Flyhouse owner Mark Witteveen, left, puts … ...