Description
Statue of Columbus with long, flowing hair, dressed in a short Spanish tabard, and a large open cloak; his left hand rests on an anchor while his right is on the shoulder of a figure of America typified by a kneeling Indian maiden holding a cross in the right hand.
At each of the four corners of the base, stands a smaller square pedestal, on each of which is a seated statue, representing Piety, Science, Constancy and Prudence. Between these are four bass-reliefs:
Columbus before the Council of Salamanca.
Columbus erecting a cross on the first land discovered.
Reception of Columbus at Barcelona, by the Kings of Spain on his return from the first voyage.
Columbus in chains, returning to Spain.
Inscription(s)
On pedestal, on the front:
A
CRISTOFORO COLOMBO
LA PATRIA
( "To Christopher Columbus, the Fatherland,")
on the right:
MDCCCLXII
DEDICATO IL MONUMENTO
"This Monument was dedicated in 1862."
On the left:
MDCCCXLVI
POSTE LE FONDAMENTA
"Foundation laid in 1846,"
On the back:
DIVINATO UN MONDO
LO AVVINSE DI PERENNI BENEFIZI
ALL' ANTICO
"Having divined a world, he found it for the perennial benefit of the old one;"
At the foot of the monument in 1892 to bronze laurel wreaths are placed, one with an anchor, the other with a palm leaf and a ribbon with the text: UNUS ERAT MUNDUS DUO SINT AIT STE: FUERE. On the left, this ribbon has also the text: AUSPICE LA SOCIETÀ GINNASTICA LIGURE C. COLOMBO 1892, to the right it is signed E. BURLANDO FECI.
Annotation
GENOVA: Introduction
Genova (Genoa) is the birth place of Christopher Columbus - at least, according to most authorities, also Cogoleto, Cuccaro, Pradella (near Bettola), Calvi (Corsica), Porto-Santo (Poio, Galicia), San Antonio (Ibiza), Cuba (Portugal), Chios (Greece) etc. claim to be his birth place. However, (nearly) all authorities agree that Columbus spent his youth in Genova. There are found many Columbus memorials in this town. In 1893, Néstor Ponce de Léon listed already seven Columbus memorials, but I doubt if three of them still exist.
The following monuments are known to me:
- 16th century The fresco on the Palazzo di San Giorgio.
- – The Columbus House.
- 1821 The Custodia.
- 1846 The monument on Piazza Acquaverde.
- c.1850 Via Gramsci
- 1851 The statue in the Palazzo Rosso.
- 1864 The bust in the Palazzo Reale.
- 1870 Castello D'Albertis, "Colombo giovinetto".
- 1892 Castello D'Albertis, reliefs.
- 1892 Liceo Cristoforo Colombo
- 1934 Regione Liguria Palace
- 1951 Plaque on the Palazzo di San Giorgio.
- – Relief on the Piazza Dante.
- 1984 Ponte di Carignano
- 1992 Cavallini's Human Ship.
- 1992 Il Bigo.
- 1992 Campopisano
- – The park on the Piazza della Vittoria.
- – Stazione Marittima.
- 1998 Aeroporto C. Colombo.
Ponce de Léon lists also:
- Bust at the University (unknown there).
- The Genius of Columbus by Vignolo, ornament at the Royal Palace.
This monument on postcards
Sculptor
- Lorenzo Bartolini (Vernio 1777 - Firenze/Florence 1850),
Italian sculptor
(Wikipedia).
Sources & Information
Tags
Locatie (N 44°25'0" - E 8°55'20") (Satellite view: Google Maps)
Item Code: itli025; Photograph: 9 August 2001
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
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