Sunday, December 9, 2012

Garibaldi

Giuseppe Garibaldi by Giovanni Turini, Washington Square Park, New York

Giuseppe Garibaldi by Giovanni Turini, 1888
Washington Square Park
New York, September 2008

“The sculptor, Giovanni Turini (1841–1899), who also designed the bronze bust of Mazzini unveiled in Central Park in 1878, was a volunteer member of Garibaldi’s Fourth Regiment during the war between Italy and Austria in 1866. Donated by New York’s Italian-American community, the bronze statue on a granite pedestal was dedicated in 1888, the sixth anniversary of Garibaldi’s death. By the 1960s, a good-luck ritual developed among New York University Finance students in which each new student in the School of Finance tossed a penny at the base of the Garibaldi Monument at the start of the school year. Acknowledging this tradition and reinforcing its commitment to the community, the university sponsored a wreath-laying ceremony in 1961 to honor the centennial anniversary of Italy’s unification.” (Giuseppe Garibaldi, Washington Square Park, City of New York Parks & Recreation)
See also: Garibaldi in Rome - Giuseppe Garibaldi - Garibaldi in Venice

3 comments:

cieldequimper said...

He is everywhere! :-)

tapirgal said...

Heh. Saw plenty of him in Italy.

Randall Martoccia said...

I'm making a documentary about college campus legends, and this Garibaldi relates to one on my campus. Would you be willing to let me use your nicely framed photograph in my documentary. Just let me know at martocciar@ecu.edu. Thank you. Randall Martoccia