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What’s the Story of the Yak?
Much like the New York Public Library’s iconic lions, Patience and Fortitude, Greenwich Library has its own cherished mascot—a 2.5-foot-tall bronze yak that has greeted visitors for over 50 years. Created in 1960 by Shay Rieger, a New York City artist known for her animal sculptures, “The Yak” was originally part of financier Joseph Hirshhorn’s private collection at his Round Hill estate in Greenwich.
Hirshhorn, a prominent art collector and philanthropist, began acquiring art at age 18 and later became the namesake of the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. He and his wife, Olga Zatorsky, a Greenwich native, donated “The Yak” to the Library in 1965, hoping it would delight young visitors as it had children in their neighborhood—among them Lisa, Cheryl, and Brian Henson, children of Muppets creator Jim Henson.
The sculpture quickly became a favorite among children, who often climb on its back or pose for photos. In 1967, when Rieger visited the Library for an exhibition of her animal sculptures, she was pleased to see the yak’s horns developing a golden patina from years of affectionate touches.
Now installed along the Library’s northern entrance walkway, “The Yak” remains an enduring symbol of Greenwich Library’s welcoming spirit and its commitment to public art.
