| Artist | Enrico Vittori |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920, renovated 1955 |
| Type | Bronze bust on granite pedestal and granite base |
| Dimensions | 344 cm × 200 cm × 190 cm (135.5 in × 80 in × 76 in) |
| Location | Indiana Statehouse, Indianapolis |
| Owner | State of Indiana Department of Administration |
Christopher Columbus is a public artwork by Italian artist Enrico Vittori, located on the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The sculpted bust of Christopher Columbus sits atop a pedestal that has relief carvings on its front, left and righthand sides. The sculpture was installed by the southwest corner of the Indiana Statehouse in 1920 by members of Italian immigrant communities throughout the state of Indiana.[1] The sculpture stands 135.5 inches high (344 centimeters), has a width of 80 inches (200 centimeters) and a depth of 76 inches (190 centimeters).
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The bust of explorer Christopher Columbus has been cast in bronze.[2] He wears a period costume, and his hair falls at approximately chin length. His facial expression is unsmiling, his chin is raised slightly and his eyes gaze off to his left. Below his left shoulder, the name of the artist is inscribed, E. VITTORI.[2]
Below the bust is a granite pedestal with a plaque and relief carvings underneath.[2] The carving on the front of the pedestal depicts a figure grouping with a man draped in fabric and wearing a crown of laurels standing in the center. His left arm is raised in the air and his right hand rests in front of his waist. To the left and right of this man, three figures of Native Americans are featured, two of whom are kneeling before him; one on either side. The kneeling figure on the Columbus' left is a man, while the two figures on his right are women, one of whom is standing just behind his right shoulder. The relief on the right side of the pedestal depicts a seated woman with her right hand resting on her chest and her left hand on a large anchor; her head is turned to her right. The relief on the left side of the pedestal shows a profile view of a seated woman who is resting her right elbow on a globe. Just below the bottom of the relief sculptures, the pedestal slopes outward to meet a two-stepped granite base.[2] The bust on the Christopher Columbus piece is approximately 39 inches (99 cm) by 23 inches (58 cm) by 29 inches (74 cm), the pedestal is 82 inches (210 cm) by 62 inches (160 cm) by 58 inches (150 cm) and the base is 14.5 inches (37 cm) by 80 inches (200 cm) by 76 inches (190 cm).[3]
The front of the sculpture contains a plaque that states the following:
The back of the pedestal has metal lettering attached directly to the granite which reads:
Directly below these words, another plaque has been placed on the pedestal which reads:
The sculpture was given to the state by a group of Italian-American citizens living in Indiana.[2] Christopher Columbus is the only monument at the Indiana Statehouse donated by immigrants, and it was intended by the Italians to be a tribute to America.[4] It stood unchanged for 35 years until 1955 when the Knights of Columbus funded the cleaning of the bronze bust, as well as the addition of new bronze lettering on the back of the pedestal.[5] The sculpture was modified once again in 1992 during the Columbus Quincentenary, which celebrated the 500th anniversary of Columbus's voyage to America. The Knights of Columbus installed a plaque bearing another statement about Christopher Columbus, bringing the total number of written statements on the pedestal to three.[5]
Christopher Columbus was created by Enrico (Harry) Vittori, an Italian artist who lived in Indianapolis.[1][4] Vittori attended the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy and traveled to Indianapolis in 1919 to work for an airplane company.[6]
Christopher Columbus was installed on the Indiana Statehouse lawn shortly after its completion and has not been moved or viewed in any other location.[2] However, the initial proposal for the sculpture requested that the piece be erected in one of the Indianapolis parks, and the location of "University Square" was listed as a potential site for the monument.[6]
Christopher Columbus was made possible by a fundraising campaign undertaken by Vincent A. LaPenta, a surgeon and scientist who presided over the executive committee of Italian Propaganda.[7] The installation was performed by various members of the Italian community living in Indiana and was dedicated on October 31, 1920 by governor James P. Goodrich.[7] Vincent A. LaPenta spoke at the dedication ceremony and stated, "Columbus can be considered humanity's greatest benefactor."[4] The sculpture was accepted as a gift[1] and is currently owned by the State of Indiana's Department of Administration.[2]
Christopher Columbus was cleaned in 1992[5] and surveyed once more in 1994 as part of the Save Outdoor Sculpture! project.[2] The overall condition was rated as "good", but it was determined that the sculpture would benefit from conservation treatment.[8] In particular, the piece suffered from metallic staining, erosion, green caulking on the pedestal, and bird guano.[8]
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