Dante Alighieri (Ximenes) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dante Alighieri |
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| Artist | Ettore Ximenes |
| Year | 1921 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 265 cm × 116 cm (104.4 in × 45.6 in) |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| 38°55′13″N 77°02′06″W / 38.920218°N 77.034976°W | |
| Owner | National Park Service |
The Dante Alighieri statue is a public artwork by Italian artist Ettore Ximenes. You can find it in Meridian Hill Park in Washington, D.C., United States. This statue honors the famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri. It was first studied as part of the Smithsonian Institution's Save Outdoor Sculpture! project in 1994.
Contents
What the Statue Looks Like
The statue shows Dante standing tall. He is wearing a long robe. On his head, he has a laurel wreath, which is a symbol of honor. In his right hand, he holds a copy of his most famous book, The Divine Comedy.
The statue stands on a strong granite base. This base is about 6 feet 7 inches tall and 4 feet 10 inches wide. On the right side of the bronze statue, you can see Ximenes's signature. The back of the statue has a mark from the company that made it, Roman Bronze Works.
On the front of the base, it simply says:
- DANTE
And on the back of the base, there is a longer message:
- DANTE ALIGHIERI
- PRESENTED TO THE
- CITY OF WASHINGTON
- IN BEHALF OF THE
- ITALIANS IN THE
- UNITED STATES BY
- COMM CARLO BARSOTTI
How the Statue Came to Be
This statue of Dante is a copy of another one located in Dante Park in New York City. Carlo Barsotti, who started Dante Park and edited a newspaper called Il Progresso Italiano-Americano, gave this copy as a gift. He donated it in 1921 to honor Italian Americans. The statue cost more than $20,000 to make. It also weighs over 3,000 pounds!
The statue was officially revealed on December 1, either in 1921 or 1922. It was called a "gift of the Italians of the United States." Carlo Barsotti, who led the Dante Memorial Commission in New York, gave a speech. Other important people also spoke, including M. Rene Viviani from France and Italian ambassador Rolandi Ricci. Even President Warren G. Harding and his wife came to the event.
The statue was covered with Italian and American flags. Two children, Clarence Caldwell and Minne Elizabeth Sherrill, helped unveil it. Many other important people attended, like the French Ambassador and members of the Italian community. Music celebrating Italian and American culture was played.
A famous Italian poet, Giovanni Pascoli, thought this was the best statue of Dante ever made. He saw a version of it in Ximenes's art studio. When asked about his work, Ximenes said that it was up to the public and future generations to decide its value.
The statue was made by Roman Bronze Works in New York City.
About the Donor
Carlo Barsotti was born in Pisa, Italy in 1850. In 1880, he started the Progresso Italo-Americano newspaper in New York City. He was a very important Italian figure in America during the late 1800s. King Umberto I of Italy even gave him the special title of Chevalier in 1888. He also received many awards from Venezuela and the Italian Red Cross.
Condition of the Statue
In 1994, experts checked the statue's condition. They said it was "well maintained," meaning it was in good shape.
