Christopher Columbus - Indianapolis, Indiana
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 46.082 W 086° 09.788
16S E 571676 N 4402346
Bust of Christopher Columbus on the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.
Waymark Code: WMDAYT
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 12/16/2011
Views: 6
Bronze bust of Christopher Columbus on top of a granite pedestal. He is wearing period clothing and has long hair. On the pedestal are bas-relief carvings on the front and each side. The bas-relief on the front is a scene depicting Indians kneeling in front of a man wearing a crown of laurels. The relief on the right side depicts a woman sitting with an anchor and the relief on the left depicts a woman leaning on a globe.
The front of the sculpture contains a plaque that states the following:
-
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
-
BORN IN GENOA, ITALY 1451. DISCOVERED
-
AMERICA OCTOBER 12, 1492. THIS LAND
-
OF OPPORTUNITY AND FREEDOM WAS
-
THUS PRESERVED FOR HUMANITY BY THE
-
PERENNIAL GENIUS ABIDING IN THE
-
ITALIAN RACE.
-
REFURBISHED BY
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS 1956
On the back in metal letters:
- ERECTED A.D. 1920
- BY THE ITALIANS
- OF INDIANAPOLIS KOKOMO
- LOGANSPORT RICHMOND
- ETC.
Below on metal plaque:
- THE COLUMBUS QUINCENTENARY JUBILEE
- COMMISSION OF INDIANA INC., IN BEHALF
- OF INDIANA'S ITALIAN-AMERICAN
- COMMUNITY DEDICATES THIS PLAQUE TO
- THE CELEBRATION OF THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
- COLUMBUS DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
- MAY THE GENIUS ABIDING IN THE ITALIAN RACE ENCOURAGE TOLERANCE
- AND ACCEPTANCE OF ALL CULTURES AS
- AMERICA'S ULTIMATE CONTRIBUTION TO HUMANITY.
The sculpture was placed by a group Italian-Americans living in Indiana. Sculpture was placed in 1920 and stood unchanged for 35 years until 1955 when the Knights of Columbus funded the cleaning of the bronze and the addition of bronze letter on the back of the pedestal. The sculpture was modified again in 1992 in celebration of the Columbus Quincentenary, the 500th anniversary of Columbus's voyage to America, the Knights of Columbus install another plaque to the base of the sculpture.
TITLE: Christopher Columbus
ARTIST(S): Enrico Vittori
DATE: Installed 1920.
MEDIUM: Sculpture: bronze; Base: granite.
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS IN001083
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
Indiana State House
Southwest corner
Indianapolis, Indiana
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
None noted
|
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.