Standing in Rockefeller center bronze Atlas (or Atlas, as it is also called) is one of the largest statues in new York. Together with the pedestal it reaches the height of 14 meters, more than four-storey building.

In Greek mythology Atlas, the mighty Titan, fighting against the Olympian gods and sentenced them to hold on their shoulders the vault of heaven. The statue was sculpted by American sculptor Lee Lawrie, the nature of creativity that consistently favored the Gothic, Beaux-arts and art Deco. Atlanta, GA, created in 1937, made in the style of art Deco. Contemporaries criticized the sculptor for shape titanium supposedly had something in common with the appearance of the leader of fascist Italy, Benito Mussolini. Famous artist James Montgomery Flagg, who created the poster "I want You for U.S. army" (with demanding Uncle Sam), ironically suggested that Mussolini, of course, would like to see myself like this Atlanta, GA.

The figure is really impressive, exaggerated musculature, stylised outlines of a powerful body. On the shoulders of Atlanta is a six-meter armillary sphere, consisting of nested into each other rings, symbolizing the celestial sphere. The armillary sphere was invented in the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus, and before the European invention of the telescope it was the main tool for determining the position of the heavenly bodies. Axis North-South Rockefeller Atlanta points to the North star. On the wide, curved beam, which lies on the shoulders of giants, depicts traditional symbols of mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. To one of the rings attached to the symbols of the twelve constellations through which the Sun passes during the year.

The weight of the statue is seven tons, it is the largest sculpture in Rockefeller center. Some time ago it was restored over the past decades, many layers of varnish and wax deposited on the bronze, distorted not only its color but also the shape of the individual parts. The statue was cleaned of layers and covered with shiny acrylic layer while retaining the natural color of the patina.

This statue is considered a symbol of objectivism, the philosophy movement created by the immigrant from Soviet Russia, the writer Ayn Rand. Her most famous work, which recently was made into a film, "Atlas shrugged". The novel describes the rise to power in the US socialists, the transition to planned economy and ensued as a result of the collapse of the once-thriving economy. The book had a huge impact on the minds of Americans.