simonbolivar

From Tom Daly's Column, Philadelphia Evening Ledger, January 3, 1917. Only marginally relevant, but colorful: They have just as much local pride in the Latin-American countries as they have in any more northern republic. and the residents of the Colombian captital of Bogota are especially noted for the brand of patriotism which will not admit that anything anywhere else can by any possibility be as good as its counterpart In the home town. During an International celebration In honor of Bolivar the Liberator a sturdy Bogotan was away visiting the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. On his return a neighbor dropped in to chat with him about his adventures and observations In foreign parts. "I suppose that they had mighty fine parades and fireworks in Caracas," suggested the stay-at-home. "No better than we have here." answered the returned traveler. "But the public buildings In Caracas," said the neighbor, "they are very splendid, are they not?" "Why, not nearly so splendid as they'd have you think," maintained the traveler, and ours are in much better taste." "How about their new statue of Bolivar?" asked the neighbor. "Ours is every bit as artistlc," asserted the traveled one. "But surely," objected the stay-at-home, "Our statue only shows Bolivar standing, while the Caracas statue Is equestrian." "Tut, tut!" said the patriotic traveler; "it's not nearly as equestrian as they say it is."

Recent photo at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sim%C3%B3n_Bol%C3%ADvar#mediaviewer...

If Wikipedia is to be believed, the statue dates from 1850, so not nearly as new as the jingoistic Colombian thought. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamo_Tadolino

According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bol%C3%ADvar_Square_%28Caracas%29, this statue was inaugurated on November 7, 1874 and was a replica of the statue in Lima, which was erected in 1859, see es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_Bol%C3%ADvar_de_Lima it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamo_Tadolini LOC has a photo of the statue in Lima: www.loc.gov/pictures/item/npc2007019331/

I'll have to correct Wikipedia on that when I get a chance. It turns out a copy of this statue is in San Francisco, CA, a gift of the government of Venezuela. Another odd thing is that the sculptor is listed as Tadolina, Tadolini, and Tadolino in various sources. The Smithsonian has him as Adamo Tadolina. collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=record_ID:siris_a...

La estatua de Simón Bolívar que corono este pabellón se encuentra actualmente en la población de Lobatera, Estado Táchira Venezuela Mas información: wapedia.mobi/es/Lobatera