The Sunday Bulletin - Philadelphia; April 11, 1966, Section 1 Page 2:
"Giuseppe Donato Dies at 84, Sculptor, Art Commissioner
Giuseppe Donato, noted Philadelphia sculptor and longtime member of the Art Commission, collapsed yesterday afternoon at the Boyd Theater and died while being taken to the Graduate Hospital. He was 84. Mr. Donato, a student of the French sculptor August Rodin, often was the center of controversy in the art world. He also was outspoken in his suggestions for improving the appearance of Philadelphia. Born in Italy, he came to Philadelphia at the age of ten. He received a city scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and studied there from 1897 to 1903 under Charles Grafly, whom he succeeded on the Art Commission in 1929.
Wins Scholarship
In 1900 he won the Academy's Stewardson sculpture prize and three years later, received the Emily Cresson European traveling scholarship. He spent two years in France, studying at the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris and then under Rodin. Returning to this country, Mr. Donato, like Rodin, flaunted the academic tradition and turned to nature for inspiration. In 1908, turning to nature got him embroiled with the city of Baltimore, which refused to accept his statues, "Burning Desire" and "Nature's Melody," both nudes. In 1930, he created a large bronze statue of Columbus for the city of Easton. Members of the town's Ku Klux Klan objected to having the statue placed there because Columbus was "an alien and did not discover America."
Statue Is Erected
Mr. Donato prevailed upon town officials, and after some delay, his statue was erected. As a member of the Art Commission, formerly the Art Jury, Mr. Donato was as hold in expressing his convictions about the appearance of the city as he was in his art. In 1953, he ordered painters who were gilding City Hall's bronze stairways to stop. City officials told them to go ahead. After a two-month battle, however the work was stopped. "It is a damnable thing," he had said, "to attempt to ruin ornamental bronzes by smearing them with gold dust and banana oil." Mr. Donato currently kept his studio at 717 Delancey st. Among his most famous works are "Dawn," "The Hand of Immortality," "The Plumline of Human Consciousness," and busts of Mark Twain, and Benito Mussolini. He did the statue of Thomas Fitzsimmons in Logan Square. Mr. Donato also was inventor of techniques used in a fountain pen, but it took him eight years in court to establish claim to the invention. He sued the pen company for patent infringements and finally received a $60,000 settlement in 1951. Mr. Donato also went to court several times in his career to collect for his works. In 1915, he successfully sued M. S. Hershey, the chocolate maker, for $25,000 for a fountain he executed. Mr. Hershey had claimed he agreed to pay only $3,100. Mr. Donato was widely exhibited, with shows in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, among other places in this country, and at the Grand Salon in Paris. He is survived by a son, Joseph A., a brother, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren."
The Evening Bulletin - Philadelphia; Monday, April 12, 1965, Page 29:
"DONATO - April 10th, GIUSEPPE, father of Joseph, the late Dr. Anthony and the late Beatrice Capalbo. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Funeral Wed. 7.45 A.M. from A. P. Donato Funeral Home, 1522 S. Broad St. Solemn Requiem Mass, 9 A. M., Old St. Mary's Church, 252 S. 4th St. Int. Holy Cross Cem. Viewing Tues. 7 to 10 P. M."
"Giuseppe Donato Dies at 84, Sculptor, Art Commissioner
Giuseppe Donato, noted Philadelphia sculptor and longtime member of the Art Commission, collapsed yesterday afternoon at the Boyd Theater and died while being taken to the Graduate Hospital. He was 84. Mr. Donato, a student of the French sculptor August Rodin, often was the center of controversy in the art world. He also was outspoken in his suggestions for improving the appearance of Philadelphia. Born in Italy, he came to Philadelphia at the age of ten. He received a city scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and studied there from 1897 to 1903 under Charles Grafly, whom he succeeded on the Art Commission in 1929.
Wins Scholarship
In 1900 he won the Academy's Stewardson sculpture prize and three years later, received the Emily Cresson European traveling scholarship. He spent two years in France, studying at the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris and then under Rodin. Returning to this country, Mr. Donato, like Rodin, flaunted the academic tradition and turned to nature for inspiration. In 1908, turning to nature got him embroiled with the city of Baltimore, which refused to accept his statues, "Burning Desire" and "Nature's Melody," both nudes. In 1930, he created a large bronze statue of Columbus for the city of Easton. Members of the town's Ku Klux Klan objected to having the statue placed there because Columbus was "an alien and did not discover America."
Statue Is Erected
Mr. Donato prevailed upon town officials, and after some delay, his statue was erected. As a member of the Art Commission, formerly the Art Jury, Mr. Donato was as hold in expressing his convictions about the appearance of the city as he was in his art. In 1953, he ordered painters who were gilding City Hall's bronze stairways to stop. City officials told them to go ahead. After a two-month battle, however the work was stopped. "It is a damnable thing," he had said, "to attempt to ruin ornamental bronzes by smearing them with gold dust and banana oil." Mr. Donato currently kept his studio at 717 Delancey st. Among his most famous works are "Dawn," "The Hand of Immortality," "The Plumline of Human Consciousness," and busts of Mark Twain, and Benito Mussolini. He did the statue of Thomas Fitzsimmons in Logan Square. Mr. Donato also was inventor of techniques used in a fountain pen, but it took him eight years in court to establish claim to the invention. He sued the pen company for patent infringements and finally received a $60,000 settlement in 1951. Mr. Donato also went to court several times in his career to collect for his works. In 1915, he successfully sued M. S. Hershey, the chocolate maker, for $25,000 for a fountain he executed. Mr. Hershey had claimed he agreed to pay only $3,100. Mr. Donato was widely exhibited, with shows in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, among other places in this country, and at the Grand Salon in Paris. He is survived by a son, Joseph A., a brother, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren."
The Evening Bulletin - Philadelphia; Monday, April 12, 1965, Page 29:
"DONATO - April 10th, GIUSEPPE, father of Joseph, the late Dr. Anthony and the late Beatrice Capalbo. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Funeral Wed. 7.45 A.M. from A. P. Donato Funeral Home, 1522 S. Broad St. Solemn Requiem Mass, 9 A. M., Old St. Mary's Church, 252 S. 4th St. Int. Holy Cross Cem. Viewing Tues. 7 to 10 P. M."
The Sunday Bulletin - Philadelphia; April 11, 1966, Section 1 Page 2:
"Giuseppe Donato Dies at 84, Sculptor, Art Commissioner
Giuseppe Donato, noted Philadelphia sculptor and longtime member of the Art Commission, collapsed yesterday afternoon at the Boyd Theater and died while being taken to the Graduate Hospital. He was 84. Mr. Donato, a student of the French sculptor August Rodin, often was the center of controversy in the art world. He also was outspoken in his suggestions for improving the appearance of Philadelphia. Born in Italy, he came to Philadelphia at the age of ten. He received a city scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and studied there from 1897 to 1903 under Charles Grafly, whom he succeeded on the Art Commission in 1929.
Wins Scholarship
In 1900 he won the Academy's Stewardson sculpture prize and three years later, received the Emily Cresson European traveling scholarship. He spent two years in France, studying at the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris and then under Rodin. Returning to this country, Mr. Donato, like Rodin, flaunted the academic tradition and turned to nature for inspiration. In 1908, turning to nature got him embroiled with the city of Baltimore, which refused to accept his statues, "Burning Desire" and "Nature's Melody," both nudes. In 1930, he created a large bronze statue of Columbus for the city of Easton. Members of the town's Ku Klux Klan objected to having the statue placed there because Columbus was "an alien and did not discover America."
Statue Is Erected
Mr. Donato prevailed upon town officials, and after some delay, his statue was erected. As a member of the Art Commission, formerly the Art Jury, Mr. Donato was as hold in expressing his convictions about the appearance of the city as he was in his art. In 1953, he ordered painters who were gilding City Hall's bronze stairways to stop. City officials told them to go ahead. After a two-month battle, however the work was stopped. "It is a damnable thing," he had said, "to attempt to ruin ornamental bronzes by smearing them with gold dust and banana oil." Mr. Donato currently kept his studio at 717 Delancey st. Among his most famous works are "Dawn," "The Hand of Immortality," "The Plumline of Human Consciousness," and busts of Mark Twain, and Benito Mussolini. He did the statue of Thomas Fitzsimmons in Logan Square. Mr. Donato also was inventor of techniques used in a fountain pen, but it took him eight years in court to establish claim to the invention. He sued the pen company for patent infringements and finally received a $60,000 settlement in 1951. Mr. Donato also went to court several times in his career to collect for his works. In 1915, he successfully sued M. S. Hershey, the chocolate maker, for $25,000 for a fountain he executed. Mr. Hershey had claimed he agreed to pay only $3,100. Mr. Donato was widely exhibited, with shows in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, among other places in this country, and at the Grand Salon in Paris. He is survived by a son, Joseph A., a brother, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren."
The Evening Bulletin - Philadelphia; Monday, April 12, 1965, Page 29:
"DONATO - April 10th, GIUSEPPE, father of Joseph, the late Dr. Anthony and the late Beatrice Capalbo. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Funeral Wed. 7.45 A.M. from A. P. Donato Funeral Home, 1522 S. Broad St. Solemn Requiem Mass, 9 A. M., Old St. Mary's Church, 252 S. 4th St. Int. Holy Cross Cem. Viewing Tues. 7 to 10 P. M."
"Giuseppe Donato Dies at 84, Sculptor, Art Commissioner
Giuseppe Donato, noted Philadelphia sculptor and longtime member of the Art Commission, collapsed yesterday afternoon at the Boyd Theater and died while being taken to the Graduate Hospital. He was 84. Mr. Donato, a student of the French sculptor August Rodin, often was the center of controversy in the art world. He also was outspoken in his suggestions for improving the appearance of Philadelphia. Born in Italy, he came to Philadelphia at the age of ten. He received a city scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and studied there from 1897 to 1903 under Charles Grafly, whom he succeeded on the Art Commission in 1929.
Wins Scholarship
In 1900 he won the Academy's Stewardson sculpture prize and three years later, received the Emily Cresson European traveling scholarship. He spent two years in France, studying at the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris and then under Rodin. Returning to this country, Mr. Donato, like Rodin, flaunted the academic tradition and turned to nature for inspiration. In 1908, turning to nature got him embroiled with the city of Baltimore, which refused to accept his statues, "Burning Desire" and "Nature's Melody," both nudes. In 1930, he created a large bronze statue of Columbus for the city of Easton. Members of the town's Ku Klux Klan objected to having the statue placed there because Columbus was "an alien and did not discover America."
Statue Is Erected
Mr. Donato prevailed upon town officials, and after some delay, his statue was erected. As a member of the Art Commission, formerly the Art Jury, Mr. Donato was as hold in expressing his convictions about the appearance of the city as he was in his art. In 1953, he ordered painters who were gilding City Hall's bronze stairways to stop. City officials told them to go ahead. After a two-month battle, however the work was stopped. "It is a damnable thing," he had said, "to attempt to ruin ornamental bronzes by smearing them with gold dust and banana oil." Mr. Donato currently kept his studio at 717 Delancey st. Among his most famous works are "Dawn," "The Hand of Immortality," "The Plumline of Human Consciousness," and busts of Mark Twain, and Benito Mussolini. He did the statue of Thomas Fitzsimmons in Logan Square. Mr. Donato also was inventor of techniques used in a fountain pen, but it took him eight years in court to establish claim to the invention. He sued the pen company for patent infringements and finally received a $60,000 settlement in 1951. Mr. Donato also went to court several times in his career to collect for his works. In 1915, he successfully sued M. S. Hershey, the chocolate maker, for $25,000 for a fountain he executed. Mr. Hershey had claimed he agreed to pay only $3,100. Mr. Donato was widely exhibited, with shows in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, among other places in this country, and at the Grand Salon in Paris. He is survived by a son, Joseph A., a brother, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren."
The Evening Bulletin - Philadelphia; Monday, April 12, 1965, Page 29:
"DONATO - April 10th, GIUSEPPE, father of Joseph, the late Dr. Anthony and the late Beatrice Capalbo. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Funeral Wed. 7.45 A.M. from A. P. Donato Funeral Home, 1522 S. Broad St. Solemn Requiem Mass, 9 A. M., Old St. Mary's Church, 252 S. 4th St. Int. Holy Cross Cem. Viewing Tues. 7 to 10 P. M."
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