History
In 1933, Chicago celebrated its 100th anniversary with the Century of Progress World's Fair. In conjunction with the fair, Chicago's Italian-American community donated the artwork to the city. [2] The statue was unveiled and dedicated in a ceremony on August 3, 1933, as part of Italian day at the fair. [4] [5]
The statue was vandalized on June 13, 2020, during the George Floyd protests. [6] After an incident on July 17, 2020, where protestors attempted to topple the work and a number of injuries occurred during a confrontation with police, [7] the statue was removed in the early morning of July 24, by order of Chicago's Mayor Lori Lightfoot. [3]
Design
The bronze, beaux arts statue shows Columbus standing and gesturing into the distance with one hand. In his other hand, he holds a scrolled map at his side. On the sides of the statue's art deco pedestal are carved depictions of: one of Columbus' ships, the Santa Maria ; astronomer and mathematician, Paolo Toscanelli, who plotted the course to the "New World;" the explorer, Amerigo Vespucci; and the seal of the City of Genoa. In the four corners of the pedestal are busts allegorically representing, Faith, Courage, Freedom, and Strength. Despite appearances, Brioschi's son has denied that the figure holding a fasces representing Strength was a portrait of Benito Mussolini, leader of Fascist Italy. [8]
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