Recently, in parts of North and South America it was Columbus Day, a holiday that celebrates the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Columbus has long been regarded as the founder of the North and South American continents, and became a national hero early on in the life of the United States. People debate over whether he should still be considered the founder since there was an indigenous population when he arrived and also the Vikings had landed on the Northern continent in the 11th century. It’s also unclear from his writings whether Columbus knew he discovered a new continent or if he thought he had reached new lands in Asia. Some scholars explain that he is famous in American and European history because he brought word back to Europe about the new lands, which started the colonization of the continents.
The Giust Gallery has two casts of Columbus in its collection, one a statue and one a bust (in two sizes). The statue was created for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago celebrating Columbus. The sculptor of this piece was Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, known for designing the Statue of Liberty. The other piece, a bust of Columbus, was sculpted for placement originally in Rome’s Pantheon. Whether you are interested in the history of Columbus and his explorations or a fan of art, give these two beautiful casts a look!
Happy sailing!
Robert, Kathleen, Kayla, and Lisa
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To say that Columbus (Vikings aside) did not discover America because there were already people here is like saying that Cook did not discover Hawaii because there were already people living there, and he did not discover Tahiti because there were already people living there, and he did not discover New Caledonia because there were already people living there, and he did not discover Easter Island because there were already a few people living there. Did any of the Indians sail across the Atlantic and discover Europe? No, but if they had, it would not count. Why? There were already people living there!!!