Joseph Arthur Coletti (November 5, 1898 – May 5, 1973) was an Italian-born American sculptor.

Life

Coletti was born in San Donato, Italy, on November 5, 1898. He was brought to the United States by his parents when he was two years old, and he was educated in public school in

Quincy, Massachusetts Quincy ( ) is a coastal U.S. city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county and a part of Metropolitan Boston as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in 2020 was 101,636, making ...

. He then studied at the Massachusetts Art School before attending

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

from which he graduated in 1923. The University awarded him a fellowship to travel and study in Europe and this was followed by two years study at the American Academy in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. Returning to America he studied with and assisted

John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil paintings and mor ...

in his work on the

Boston Public Library The Boston Public Library is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1848. The Boston Public Library is also the Library for the Commonwealth (formerly ''library of last recourse'') of the Common ...

ceilings.Proske, Beatrice Gilman, ''Brookgreen Gardens Sculpture'', Brookgreen Gardens, 1968, 437-438 This work led Coletti into the field of

architectural sculpture Architectural sculpture is the use of sculptural techniques by an architect and/or sculptor in the design of a building, bridge, mausoleum or other such project. The sculpture is usually integrated with the structure, but freestanding works that ...

where much of his life’s work was done. He was also an accomplished

medalist A medalist (or medallist) is an artist who designs medals, plaquettes, badges, metal medallions, coins and similar small works in relief in metal. Historically, medalists were typically also involved in producing their designs, and were usually ...

, creating works for Harvard University. In 1963 he created the 68th issue of the

Society of Medalists The Society of Medalists was established in 1930 in the United States to encourage the medallic work of superior sculptors, and to make their creations available to the public. The Society of Medalists was the longest running art medal collector's ...

, Glory of God/Great Frigate Bird. He also produced numerous public portrait statues. Coletti was a member of 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 members ...

and contributed several articles on sculpture for the

Encyclopedia Britannica An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...

. Coletti married Miriam Kerruish Whitney, and he had two daughters. He resided in

Back Bay, Boston Back Bay is an officially recognized neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, built on reclaimed land in the Charles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the availability in the city at the time, and ...

, where he died on May 5, 1973.

Work

* Oneida Football Club Monument, Boston Commons, in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, 1925 * Thomas Crane Public Library, stone carvings,

, 1939 * Mourning Victory, Salem,

, 1947 *

Statue of David I. Walsh A statue of David I. Walsh by Joseph Coletti (sometimes called the David Ignatius Walsh Monument or ''Senator David I. Walsh'') is installed along Boston's Charles River Esplanade, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Description and history Th ...

Charles River Esplanade The Charles River Esplanade of Boston, Massachusetts, is a state-owned park situated in the Back Bay area of the city, on the south bank of the Charles River Basin. Description The limited-access parkway Storrow Drive forms the southern boun ...

, Boston, 1954 * extensive sculptural program for Cathedral of Mary Our Queen,

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

1955-1956 * Statue of

Edward Lawrence Logan Edward Lawrence Logan (January 20, 1875 – July 6, 1939) was an American lawyer, judge, military officer, and politician. While still a student, Logan enlisted in the Massachusetts 9th infantry during the Spanish–American War. Upon returnin ...

Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport , also known as Boston Logan International Airport and commonly as Boston Logan, Logan Airport or simply Logan, is an international airport that is located mostly in East Boston and partially ...

, Boston, 1956 * Statue of Saint Teresa of Avila,

National Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is an American cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The cathedral is located in Washington, D.C., the ca ...

, Washington D.C., 1964 * Medal of the

Dante Society of America The Dante Society of America is an American academic society devoted to the study of Dante Alighieri. the oldest scholarly societies in North America, the DSA predates both the Modern Language Association, founded in 1883, and the American Historic ...

, 1965

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coletti, Joseph 1898 births 1973 deaths American architectural sculptors American male sculptors Artists from Boston Harvard University alumni National Sculpture Society members Sculptors from Massachusetts 20th-century American sculptors 20th-century American male artists Italian emigrants to the United States