Mary, Protector of Faith (Russo)
Encyclopedia
Mary, Protector of Faith is a public artwork by American
artist Jon-Joseph Russo, located at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
in Washington, D.C.
, United States
. "Mary, Protector of Faith" stands in Mary's Garden at the Basilica.
at full-length holding an infant (Christ
?) 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.
and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Cornell University
. His work is inspired by the Italian Renaissance
movement. In 1992 he relocated to Washington and formed his own Studio Russo. He work is seen in the collections and landscapes of AECOM
, Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, and South Korea.
.
. The sculpture was dedicated on June 10, 2000 with over 1,000 in attendance.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
artist Jon-Joseph Russo, located at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a prominent Latin Rite Catholic basilica located in Washington, D.C., honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. "Mary, Protector of Faith" stands in Mary's Garden at the Basilica.
Description
This limestone sculpture depicts Mother MaryMary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
at full-length holding an infant (Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
?) 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 UniversityAlfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. His work is inspired by the Italian Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
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
AECOM Technology Corporation is a professional technical and management support services firm. The company is ranked as the number one design firm for 2010 and 2011 by Engineering News-Record and number one by Architectural Record. It provides services in the areas of transportation, planning,...
, Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, 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 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 purityPurity
Purity is the absence of impurity or contaminants in a substance or abstinence from vices in human character.Purity may also refer to:*Purity , an indication of the amount of other gases in a particular gas...
.
Acquisition
The sculpture was commissioned after a contest was held for the statue. Funding for the sculpture was provided by the Diocese of Orlando and the National Council of Catholic Women. Mary is dedicated to former director of the National Shrine, Bishop Emeritus of Orland, Thomas Joseph GradyThomas Joseph Grady
Thomas Joseph Grady was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the second Bishop of Orlando from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1967 to 1974.-Biography:Thomas Grady was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of a...
. The sculpture was dedicated on June 10, 2000 with over 1,000 in attendance.
See also
- List of public art in Washington, D.C.
- Saint Mother Théodore GuérinSaint Mother Théodore Guérin (Clark)Saint Mother Théodore Guérin is a public artwork by American artist Teresa Clark, located at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., United States...
another sculpture at the garden.