[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 188 (Thursday, November 29, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7230-S7231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING LUIGI TELARA

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to pay 
tribute to Luigi Telara, who passed away earlier this year on April 1. 
An Italian sculptor who hailed from the marble quarries of Carrara, 
Italy, Luigi's life was one of hard work, dedication, and beauty. While 
he spent a majority of his life in Italy, Luigi lived in Proctor, VT, 
where he worked for the Vermont Marble Company for 6 years. Although 
his time in America was short, the impact of his work can still be seen 
today in Vermont, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and even 
right here in the U.S. Capitol.
  Although fostered and honed in his home country, Luigi's love for the 
art of sculpting spread far beyond his European roots. After attending 
Professional Institute for Marble, Industry, and Crafts--l'Istituto 
Professionale per l'Industria e l'Artigianato del Marmo--and later on 
Magistero d'Arte in Florence, the State of Vermont was lucky enough to 
become a second home and a source of inspiration for Luigi's grand 
marblework and refined artistry. He joined the Vermont Marble Company 
in 1955, where he was able to sculpt pieces we continue to feature here 
today, on the steps of our Capitol.
  It was during his 6 years at the Vermont Marble Company that Luigi 
Telara made his mark on our great democratic institution with his 
assistance in the creation of the plaster models of the god of war and 
goddess of peace statues that stand atop the Capitol steps. ``War'' is 
a male figure with his head slightly titled and his gaze fixed ahead, 
ready to conquer what is ahead of him. To the right of ``War'' is 
``Peace,'' standing in a contrapposto pose, holding a fruit-bearing 
olive branch in her left hand, extending it towards ``War.''
  Luigi's work should serve as a subtle reminder of what is at stake 
when you

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are a Member of the Senate, the Nation's conscience. An important 
message that is too often overlooked. Next time you are running up the 
steps to make it for a vote, take a second to appreciate the dedication 
to detail that was put into the statues by Luigi, by Francesco Tonelli, 
by Franco Marchini, and by Geno Fregosi at the Vermont Marble Company.
  Following his tenure at the Vermont Marble Company, Luigi went back 
to his hometown of Carrara where he became a teacher at the Instituto 
d'Arte Felice Palama di Massa and held the position of chair for 30 
years. He never lost his passion for the art of sculpting, as he would 
continue to carve as a private practice.
  Although not a citizen on paper, Luigi exemplified what it means to 
be an American. The United States is a country of immigrants after all, 
a great melting pot of cultures, and as Luigi's life and work 
demonstrated, our democratic institutions are the better for their 
service. Legacies like Luigi's serve as a reminder of what we as a 
nation lose when we put up walls and close our doors to those seeking 
to do what our ancestors did before us. We must not turn inward. We 
must continue to shine our great light and be the beacon of hope for 
the rest of the world.

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