Christopher Columbus - Washington Park - Newark, NJ, USA
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tmob
N 40° 44.613 W 074° 10.192
18T E 570085 N 4510620
This sculpture depicts Christopher Columbus, and is located at the Washington Park, facing Broad Street, in Newark, New Jersey.
Waymark Code: WMHM6Y
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 07/22/2013
Views: 8
This sculpture depicts Christopher Columbus, and is located at the Washington Park, facing Broad Street, in Newark, New Jersey.
Christopher Columbus was a well known explorer, navigator, and colonizer. His exact nationality has been a source of speculation since the 19th century. For example, i'm Portuguese and i learned in school that he was born in Portugal, though there was a dispute over his nationality with Spain. Only years later, when I read about it, I learned that the most accepted theory is that he was Italian.
-- Find out more about the Origin theories of Christopher Columbus
On the base of the sculpture one can read:
(front)
TO
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
IMMORTAL GENOESE
ERECTED BY THE ITALIANS
IN THIS LAND
PERCEIVER THROUGH HIS GENIUS
IN THE YEAR 1492
(back)
ERECTED UNDER THE A SPICES OF
THE GUISIPPE VERDI SOCIETY
AND PRESENTED BY THE ITALIANS
TO THE CITY OF NEWARK
OCTOBER 12, 1927
According to the Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures:
Artist: Ciochetti, Giuseppe, sculptor.
Title: Christopher Columbus, (sculpture).
Dates: Dedicated Oct. 12, 1997.
Medium: Sculpture and reliefs: bronze; Base: sandstone and marble.
Inscription: (On front of stone base, in raised bronze lettering:) TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS/IMMORTAL GENOESE/ERECTED BY THE ITALIANS/IN THIS LAND/PERCEIVED THROUGH HIS GENIUS/IN THE YEAR 1492 (On side of stone base, in raised bronze lettering:) ERECTED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF/THE GUISEPPE VERDI SOCIETY/AND PRESENTED BY THE ITALIANS/TO THE CITY OF NEWARK/OCTOBER 12, 1927/MADE IN ROME ITALY/GIUSEPPE CIOCHETTI/SCULPTOR/GUISEPPE VERDI SOCIETY/AND/ASSOCIATED ITALIAN SOCIETIES/OF NEWARK
Description: A bronze portrait of Christopher Columbus stands atop a tall square base adorned with four bronze relief plaques depicting the commissioning, embarkation, voyage, and landing of Columbus. Each corner of the base, between the reliefs, is adorned with a standing female figure representing discovery. The female figures stand with their faces directed toward the sky and their hands raised to their chests. The corners above each female figure are carved with fluted stone columns, above which a bronze garland encircles the base.
Remarks: The memorial was funded by the Associated Italian Societies of Newark and the Giuseppe Verdi Society. In March 1973, one of the base plaques fell off and was taken to the Bureau of Parks and Ground warehouse to await replacement by the Department of Public Works. Graffiti was cleaned from the base of the memorial in April 1985. IAS files contain newspaper articles from The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), Oct. 10, 1973; Oct. 9, 1973; Oct. 10, 1979; and April 9, 1985. For additional information see also The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), Oct. 13, 1927.