Columbus Monument, (sculpture).

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Columbus Monument, (sculpture).

Caroni, Emanuele, sculptor. (possibly by)

Columbus Monument, (sculpture).

ca. 1875. Dedicated Oct. 12, 1876. Relocated 1976. Rededicated Oct. 12, 1976.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: Italian marble; Base: stone.

Sculpture: approx. H. 120 in.; Base: approx. H. 12 ft. x W. 72 in.

(Front of base:) (Above relief:) PRESENTED TO THE CITY/OF PHILADELPHIA/BY THE ITALIAN CITIZENS (Below relief:) CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS (Rear of base:) DEDICATED OCT. 12 1876/BY THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS/MONUMENT ASSOCIATION ON THE/ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDING OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS OCT 12, 1492/IN COMMEMORATION OF THE/FIRST/CENTENARY/OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE/1876

Columbus, dressed in a tunic and cape, stands with an anchor and a bundle at his proper right foot. His proper right hands rests on a globe, on top of a column. He holds a scroll in his proper left hand. The sculpture is mounted atop a tapered, tiered base with a relief on the front. The relief depicts Columbus' first sighting of the coast and ultimate landing, and the coats-of-arms of Italy and the United States. The sculpture is surrounded by a fence with images of three sailing ships on it.

Portrait male -- Columbus, Christopher -- Full length

Occupation -- Other -- Explorer

Occupation -- Transportation -- Navigator

Ethnic -- Italian

Object -- Written Matter -- Scroll

Object -- Other -- Globe

Architecture -- Boat -- Detail

Emblem -- Coat of Arms

History -- United States -- Discovery of U.S.

History -- Exploration -- Americas

Outdoor Sculpture -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

Administered by City of Philadelphia, Fairmount Park Commission, Memorial Hall, West Park, P. O. Box 21601, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131

Located Marconi Plaza, Broad Street between Bigler Street & Oregon Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Formerly located Fairmount Park, Former Centennial grounds, near Fountain Street & Belmont Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Initiated by the Columbus Monument Association for the Centennial. Italian residents of Philadelphia funded the sculpture for the 1876 Centennial, presenting it to the city on the anniversary of Columbus' first landing, October 12. The sculpture stood in Fairmount Park until it was relocated in 1976, and rededicated on October 12, 1976 in its new location. The figure's proper left hand and two fingers on his proper right hand were broken off by vandals around 1979 and repaired. Stone at front of base reads: RENOVATED IN 1982 BY/THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA/WILLIAM J. GREEN, MAYOR/AND THE ITALO AMERICAN COMMUNITY/ORGANIZED AS/THE MARCONI MEMORIAL ASS'N INC/(...inscription illegible). IAS files contain a related excerpt from Penny Balkin Bach's "Public Art in Philadelphia," Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992, pg. 55, 57, 90, 200. IAS files contain two related articles from the Bulletin (Philadelphia): Fall, 1965; and April 15, 1979, pg. 1 and 3.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia survey, 1993.

Bach, Penny Balkin, "Public Art in Philadelphia," Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992, pg. 200.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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