Over 80 individuals and/or institutions have been a part of the conversation to try to shed light on solving the mystery of 24 missing Coppini works of art. John continues to have contact with leads. See previous list of organizations and individuals contacted to date. The Austin American Statesman, The Daily Texan and the Austin Chronicle [...]
I have lunch with James Powell. James is a native Austinite and a highly respected antiques dealer of 45 years. Out of left field, he asked me if I knew anything about "Victims of the Galveston Flood" statue as realized by Italian sculptor, Pompeo Coppini a few years after the Storm of 1900. I had [...]
John writes to Peter Mears at the HRC and Blanton Museum. The list of those who might have information grows to Baylor, Galveston, and San Antonio and 70 individuals, institutions, organizations and media.
Coppini dies.
Carl Eckhardt, UT's long-time Director of the Physical Plant, makes a typewritten note to himself regarding UT's inability to "properly preserve" the Coppini gift collection over time. Eckhardt and Coppini had become close friends leading up to the Daughters’ of the American Revolution funding Coppini’s George Washington statue situated just south of the UT Tower.
Coppini’s requests for an answer as to the whereabouts of the Victims heroic reaches a crescendo in advance of his autobiography, From Dawn To Sunset, being published in 1949. We can find no evidence of a document where UT gives him an answer.
Waldine Tauch, Coppini's protégé, exchanges letters with UT President Rainey. She asks ͞"Did you find it yet?" The "it" is the Victims heroic now missing for over two decades. Rainey writes her back, almost immediately, saying he has been busy but will make every effort to look for the Coppini donated statuary. That was the last [...]
The Littlefield Fountain, unveiled in 1933, is a monument by Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini, located at The University of Texas at Austin. UT and Coppini came to loggerheads over design disputes with UT architect, Paul Cret and others. Between UT's loss of Coppini's 24 piece statuary and the fountain that was redesigned without Coppini’s approval, [...]
March 4, 1928 American Statesman article that says someone found "10 busts" in the 3rd floor of Old Main. It doesn’t say who found them nor does it name what is found. It also says nothing about the other 14 pieces (statues, heroic busts). We can find no other mention of the 24 item statuary [...]
The UT Cactus yearbook runs a four page section on the Coppini gift, the Victims heroic and the exhibition.