Adio diBiccari (1914 – January 1, 2009) was an American
sculptor
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
immigrants, but grew up in
East Boston
East Boston, nicknamed Eastie, is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, which was annexed by the city of Boston in 1836. Neighboring communities include Winthrop, Massachusetts, Winthrop, Revere, Mas ...
School of the Museum of Fine Arts
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (Museum School, SMFA at Tufts, or SMFA; formerly the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) is a dedicated art school within Tufts University, a private research university in Massa ...
, and studied abroad in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, and
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
while there. After returning to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, he married Evelyn Wilson in 1937. They lived in
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, but after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, settled in
Arlington Arlington most often refers to:
*Arlington, Virginia
**Arlington National Cemetery, a United States military cemetery
*Arlington, Texas
Arlington may also refer to:
Places Australia
*Arlington light rail station, on the Inner West Light Rail in S ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. The couple had four children: Ruth, Lynda, Eda, and Albert. Jointly with fellow East Bostonian sculptor
Fenway
Fenway Park is a ballpark located in Boston, Massachusetts, less than one mile from Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home field of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Boston Red Sox. While the stadium was built in 1912, it was substantia ...
neighborhood of Boston.
Among diBiccari's best-known works are the statue of the goddess
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
atop the
Athenaeum Press
Athenæum Press is an historic building located at 215 First Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The structure occupies the entire block between First Street, Second Street, Athenæum Street, and Linskey Way, which was formerly known as Munroe St ...
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...
husky mascot (1962), as well as the three bronze figures of Industry, Learning, and Religion in
Parkman Plaza
Parkman Plaza is a plaza in Boston Common, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Description
The plaza features three bronze statues of men representing Learning, Industry, and Religion, each of which are set on granite bases. ''Learning'' de ...
(1958), which he produced alongside Cascieri. He also produced sculptures for churches, including the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic minor basilica and national shrine in Washington D.C. It is the largest Catholic church building in North America and is also the tallest habitable building in Wa ...
in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhoo ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, the
Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is a Roman Catholic cathedral located Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It was completed in 1959.
The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Baltimore. It replaced the Basilica of the National Shrine of t ...
in
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, as well as many churches in Massachusetts, including St. Brigid's in Lexington, the Immaculate Conception Convent in Revere, and St. Ignatius Church at
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
.
Gallery
File:Athenaeum Press statue.jpg,
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
at the
Athenaeum Press
Athenæum Press is an historic building located at 215 First Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The structure occupies the entire block between First Street, Second Street, Athenæum Street, and Linskey Way, which was formerly known as Munroe St ...
.
File:Industry by Arcangelo Cascieri and Adio DiBiccari, front, 1958, dedicated 1961 - Parkman Plaza, Boston Common - Boston, MA - DSC05884.jpg, Industry in
Parkman Plaza
Parkman Plaza is a plaza in Boston Common, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Description
The plaza features three bronze statues of men representing Learning, Industry, and Religion, each of which are set on granite bases. ''Learning'' de ...
.
File:Learning by Arcangelo Cascieri and Adio DiBiccari, front, 1958, dedicated 1961 - Parkman Plaza, Boston Common - Boston, MA - DSC05905.jpg, Learning in Parkman Plaza.
File:Religion by Arcangelo Cascieri and Adio DiBiccari, front, 1958, dedicated 1961 - Parkman Plaza, Boston Common - Boston, MA - DSC05164.jpg, Religion in Parkman Plaza.