''Mary, Protector of Faith'' is a public artwork by
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
artist
Jon-Joseph Russo, located at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a large minor Catholic basilica and national shrine in the United States in Washington, D.C., located at 400 Michigan Avenue Northeast, adjacent to Catholic University.
...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. ''Mary, Protector of Faith'' stands in Mary's Garden at the Basilica.
Description
This limestone sculpture depicts
Mother Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
at full-length holding an infant (
Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
?) to her chest. She wears a robe which covers her body fully as well as her head. She has bare-feet that peek out from under the robe and she has long hair. She looks towards her proper right as she holds the baby, wrapped in a small blanket, to her chest. She stands on a square-ish pedestal and stands on the stone border of a fountain.
Artist
Jon-Joseph Russo is based out of Washington, D.C. His work focuses on three main areas of work: landscape architecture, sculpture and furniture design. His educational background consists of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from
Alfred University
Alfred University is a private university in Alfred (village), New York, Alfred, New York. It has a total undergraduate population of approximately 1,600 students. The university hosts the New York State College of Ceramics, which includes The ...
and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
. His work is inspired by the Italian
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
movement. In 1992 he relocated to Washington and formed his own Studio Russo. He work is seen in the collections and landscapes of
AECOM
AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm.
AECOM has approximately 51,000 employees, and is number 157 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list.
The company's official name from 1990 t ...
,
Oehme, van Sweden & Associates
Oehme, van Sweden & Associates is a Washington, D.C. based landscape architecture firm known for its focus on sustainability in landscape architecture. It was founded in 1975 by Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden. The firm is a proponent of the ...
, and South Korea.
Information
''Mary'' is located in Mary's Garden, a devotional area located on a three-quarter site on the Basilica grounds. According to the
National Council of Catholic Women
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
the garden "honors Mary, a faith-filled woman who ‘pondered things in her heart..We hope that it will inspire all who come here to mirror Mary's life." The garden features a circular fountain with a variety of benches and small prayer niches for pilgrims and visitors to visit. Trees, flowering shrubs and flowers with white blossoms surround the area to represent Mary's
purity
Purity may refer to:
Books
* ''Pureza'' (novel), a 1937 Brazilian novel by José Lins do Rego
* ''Purity'' (novel), a 2015 novel by Jonathan Franzen
** ''Purity'' (TV series), a TV series based on the novel
*''Purity'', a 2012 novel by Jackson P ...
.
Acquisition
The sculpture was commissioned after a contest was held for the statue.
Funding for the sculpture was provided by the
Diocese of Orlando
The Diocese of Orlando ( la, Dioecesis Orlandensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Florida. It encompasses about spanning Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Marion, Lake, Volusia, Brevard, Polk, and Sumt ...
and the National Council of Catholic Women. ''Mary'' is dedicated to former director of the National Shrine, Bishop Emeritus of Orlando,
Thomas Joseph Grady
Thomas Joseph Grady (October 9, 1914April 21, 2002) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the second bishop of the Diocese of Orlando in Florida from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archd ...
. The sculpture was dedicated on June 10, 2000 with over 1,000 in attendance.
See also
*
List of public art in Washington, D.C.
This is a list of public art in Washington, D.C. organized by neighborhood wards.
* Ward 1 – Neighborhoods such as Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Howard University and the U Street Corridor.
* Ward 2 – Neighborhoods such as Downtown, ...
*
''Saint Mother Théodore Guérin'' another sculpture at the garden.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mary, Protector Of Faith (Russo)
2000 establishments in Washington, D.C.
2000 sculptures
Limestone sculptures in Washington, D.C.
Monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C.
Outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C.
Sculptures of children in the United States
Sculptures of women in Washington, D.C.
Statues of the Madonna and Child