Giovanni Turini
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Giovanni Turini (May 23, 1841 – August 27, 1899) was an American sculptor, born in
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,
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. He immigrated to the United States in the late 1860s. He is best remembered as a portrait and historical sculptor. His portrait bust of
Giuseppe Mazzini Giuseppe Mazzini (, ; ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the ...
, which he created in 1876 and was dedicated in 1878 was funded by the New York Italian American community and was one of the early examples of public statuary in the city. Turini, who served with
Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
as a volunteer during Italy's war with Austria in 1866, created Garibaldi's statue in
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in 1888. His statue was initially designed to be a part of a three figure group, with Garibaldi standing on top of a boulder. However funds to complete the entire project, which was running well above projected costs, proved to be inadequate, so while Turini was abroad the design was changed and Garibaldi was placed atop a fairly standard pedestal. It turned out in order to get the statue's feet to stand properly on the base, following its being designed and cast to be placed on an uneven surface, the legs had to be repositioned, leading to Turini's calling those responsible "cruel amputators" and the ''
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'' writing, "The man who suggested the change is said to have argued with Garibaldi's friends in the Italian colony on the basis that Garibaldi was dead anyway, and he would not object, forgetting that the public might some day realize that it had a monstrosity of a statue on its hands." His submission for a statue of
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for New York was "flatly rejected" by the
National Sculpture Society Founded in 1893, the National Sculpture Society (NSS) was the first organization of professional sculptors formed in the United States. The purpose of the organization was to promote the welfare of American sculptors, although its founding member ...
in about 1899. The commission was ultimately awarded to Sally James Farnham. Turini's granddaughter was painter and muralist Verona Burkhard. Turini's grandson is the renowned Canadian classical pianist
Ronald Turini Ronald Turini (born 30 September 1934) is a world renowned Canadian classical pianist. Turini was the first Canadian artist to win prizes at the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and the Geneva International Music Competition, bot ...
.


Selected works

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Giuseppe Mazzini Giuseppe Mazzini (, ; ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the ...
,
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, New York, New York, 1878 *
Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
,
Washington Square Park Washington Square Park is a public park in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is an icon as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. The park is operated by the New York City Department o ...
,
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, 1888 *
Evangeline ''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel during the e ...
, Jersey City Museum,
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1888


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turini, Giovanni
1841 births 1899 deaths 19th-century American sculptors 19th-century American male artists American male sculptors Sculptors from New York City Italian emigrants to the United States Sculptors from New York (state)