tatuary Hall
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From Marble to Masterpiece
Artist Nilda Comas is the first Hispanic Master Sculptor selected to create a statue for the National Statuary Hall State Collection . She was selected after a national search and was chosen from a field of 1,600 applicants . She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the New York Academy and studied at the Accademia di Belli Arte in Carrara , Italy .
Comas began with intensive research at the Congressional Archives , the State of Florida Archives and Bethune-Cookman University .
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Michelangelo ’ s Gift
Cut from the Italian Alps and quarries above Pietrasanta , Italy , the piece of marble used by artist Nilda Comas represents the largest – and last – piece of statuary marble from the quarry .
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The marble from the quarries is the same used by Michelangelo to create his famous statue of David . It is said Michelangelo himself opened the caves in the mountains that had been abandoned by the ancient Romans to find the marble .
The Pride of Florida
The finished statue will be displayed at the News-Journal Center in Daytona Beach before departing for permanent placement in the U . S . Capitol in late 2021 .
The Mary McLeod Bethune statue will represent Florida in the National Statuary Hall State Collection along with the Sunshine State ’ s other statue , one of Dr . John Gorrie , considered the father of refrigeration and air-conditioning who has represented Florida since 1914 .
The Capitol unveiling is expected to take place in early 2022 . A bronze replica will be displayed in the Riverfront Esplanade Park in Daytona Beach also in early 2022 .
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