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Going
for the Bronze
Italian-born Texas Sculptor
ENRICO FILIBERTO CERRACCHIO&
The
Equestrian Statue: Sam Houston
Hermann
Park
Houston, Texas
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Cerracchio's
best-known sculpture is the 40 foot bronze equestrian figure of Sam Houston at
the entrance to Hermann Park. The statue cost $ 75,000 when it was put in place
in 1925.
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, January 2007 |
Cerracchio
was born in Naples, Italy, on March 14, 1880, he started forming figures in clay
before he was seven years old. His Godfather noticed his talent and encouraged
it by destroying the boy's efforts and then locking the boy in a room with fresh
clay. He was told to duplicate the pieces to win his release - which he did. He
studied both academic subjects and sculpture at the Institute Avellino in Italy.
After graduating in 1898 he continued his studies in sculpture under the acclaimed
sculptor Rafael Belliazzi. When Enrico reached his 20th year, Belliazzi told him
his life was "in his hands" since he could teach him nothing more.
In
1900 Cerracchio immigrated to the United States and after a miserable 3 month
period in New York where he worked as a laborer, he moved to Houston
- a region his doctor had recommended for his asthma. He became a naturalized
citizen in 1905 and two years later married Marion Kowalski of Shamokin, Pennsylvania.
His
address in Houston was in the 3500 block of Audubon Street.
Cerracchio
preferred working in bronze or marble and he was first publicly noticed after
World War I when he made two "Doughboy"statues. One was presented to the Italian
government, and the other was presented to Gen. "Blackjack" Pershing by the City
of Houston. |
| Austin has two other
works of Cerracchio. One is a marble bust of Governor "Ma" Ferguson (1926) in
the State Capitol, and the other is a bronze bust of General John A. Wharton,
located in the State Cemetery. |
| Cerracchio
also made busts of John Nance Garner, Jesse H. Jones (Houston Developer), Albert
Einstein, and Rudolf Valentino. He was living in New York City when he died in
1956.
General
Sam Houston Equestrian Statue Plaque | |
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