Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-18
STATELY COLUMNS.
ONE BEAUTIFUL WORK FOR THE
UNIVERSITY RorusDA.
CARVED CAPITALS ASSURED.
seney for This Purpose Tnrn''hed
by a Richmond AIumnu--MnrDle
from the cnrnrn aunrrie'-oriFi-
ma, Capital. and How They Were
Procured.
CARVED CAPITALS ASSURED.
Procured.

j CHARLOTTESVILLE VA. September
81 .-fsnecial)-The capitals of the portico
If the University of Virginia Rotnnoa
we're destroyed in the fire of 1888, ana
aimee the restoration. the columns nave
been surmonnted by uncarved blocks Oh
s-arara marble. from the same quarry IN
italy from which the original capitals
Swere taken. The expenses attending tne
carving of these in the Corinthian style
of architecture is so consi lcrable tl.at the
University has not been il, position 10
have the work done until now. Al the
commencement last June, Mr.. John l..
Williams. OF Richmond, Va, an alumnus,
and a very staunch friend of the UniVer-
lssjty. which has often been the object OF
Ibis generous gifts. pledged the necessary
smeans for the completion of trs oTna-
a,nentation OF the Rotunda. A contract
was Immediately entered into win T.
Coppini and John Grignola, OF New YORK,
who have undertaken to cut carve ana
fnish the unfinished capitals upon the
columns in the north and south por1eoS
saof the Rotunda-''
AN EXPENSIVE WORK.
Il There are ten full columns and two
half columns in the south portico; that
As the one facing the lawn. and SIX iuil
capitals and two half capitals IN the
north portico. on the opposite face. OF
the Rotunda. The carving is to be done
+ in exact accordance with the models, or
patterns, of the former capitals
& The proctor. Colonel Thomas II. carter
s Professor Kent. of the chair OF literature
and Professor Thornt =. of the Engineer
\ ing Department n ne committee on
+ tho mart of the fac o direct and SUI
s ,or,.;.e the work is to be COM
B n1e.od and all tinl moved from the
4 grounds. on or befc re lst day of June
B next The carving each capital Will
cos, $3.50 and each half capital $3.50, max
( ing a total of $1,000 for the whole work.
THE ORIGINAL CAPITALS.
Your correspondent has been interested
in searching for the facts connected Win
the first carving of the capitals OF the
Rotunda. His investigations revealed less
about this than about similar work for
/ tho payilions on the la WI. 1t looks as if
& Mr.. Jefferson, with his usual caution in
such matters. preferred first to try his
8 sculptors on something less important
than the ornaments for the central build
Ing of the University. Whatever the
truth NAV be in regard to this as early
as July, 1919. the year in which the char
Ter establishing the University OF Nlr-
GINA was granted, Giacomo Rassl and
Michehe Raggi were brought to this coun-
try from Italy. The details. as far as
4 they exist to-day are found in the dusty
1edgers OF the 1irst years OIL INC oii-
versity.
The account of the RagSis presumably
/ they were brothers, runs thus:
4 EXPENSES at Leghorn, Italy.......... $50 o.
& Sea stores Observation-Disclosures. 50 "
Il Passage ............. ..-.........----- ~ Y.
/ Expenses in Baltimore. ~ =
Travel from Baltimore TO the Uni
versity ........ observation-disclosures. ." W
Expense of boarding selves.....-.-.. 10 "
K Exchange loss .-..-.---...---.---- "a 4
u This account takes us back to a time
+ although less than a century gone wher
crossing the Atlantic was by no mean:
II "a light undertaking The $50 expenses IL
1 Icchorn was doubtless in the way OF
L preparation for this voyage. THESE work
II men laid in stores for a trip of some iou
L miles. more extensive than the modern
traveller provides for a voyage arount
+ Che world
THE TWO RAGGIS.
The Rarsi brothers Of they were broth
i ers), were employed for several years OF
4 the pavilions, or professors residences
q IN the lawns and ranges. and probabl,
! on the dormitories of these ranges Ger
tainly the marble for the capitals of III
Rotunda columns were not contracted 10
1 until the fall of 1923, more than fou
years after these men had come iron
Italy.
The marble from which these capitals
and bases were shaped came from tn
quarries of Carara.
Your correspondent has been able t
/ find payments on account OF marble TO
the capitals amounting to over $1,000. eN
elusive of the marble for the Rotund
capitals.
In delving in these old books I foua
GONE things which sound little strans
for this day, as, for instance, where tn
proctor was directed to provide certain