AMERICA AS CONSECRATION: SCULPTURES OF ETTORE XIMENES IN NEW YORK CITY (1909-1921)

Abstract

Ettore Ximenes (Palermo, 1855/Roma, 1926) was an Italian sculptor of great international notoriety in the first decades of 20th century. Author of the Monument to the Independence of Brazil, located in São Paulo - his biggest sculptural work -, Ximenes built an outstanding trajectory in America ever since he won the contest to erect the General Belgrano Monument in Buenos Aires, in 1898. In the United States, Ximenes built sculptures honoring illustrious Italian individuals, such as the Giovanni da Verrazzano and the Dante Alighieri monuments, commissioned by Carlo Barsotti, editor of Il Progresso Italo-Americano newspaper, in New York City. This article reconstructs the commission processes for these latter sculptures and highlights the importance of these two monuments for its proponents and for the projection of Ximenes’ career. It aims to show how the actions undertaken to aggrandize the Italian identity were a central element in the consecration of Ximenes in said country, while simultaneously extolling the Italian community and one of its most outstanding political leaders.

Keywords:
Monument; sculpture; urban history; Ettore Ximenes; New York City