St. Thomas More, Duquesne Universiy School of Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Posted by: 
sherpes
N 40° 26.184 W 079° 59.484
17T E 585543 N 4476683
On the corner of a campus building
Waymark Code: WM4W26
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 10/04/2008
Views: 12
In memory of Carl Michael Drago, the statue is located in a catholic upper-education institution near downtown Pittsburgh.
[source: from Duquesne University Times]
Sculpture Carries Meaning and Memories
By Bob Woodside
11/26/2002
When the Law School construction was completed earlier this year, Dean Nicholas Cafardi set out to commission a distinctive piece of artwork that would symbolize the School and the University's Catholic identity. "I had wanted a statue of St. Thomas More for some time," Cafardi said.
St. Thomas More is the patron of lawyers. Born in London in 1478, he became Lord Chancellor, the most powerful judicial officer in England. A devout Catholic, his tenure ended in conflict with King Henry VIII over issues of divorce. More later refused to take an oath declaring the king supreme ruler over even the Pope, was convicted of treason and beheaded in 1535.
When Cafardi approached the University's senior staff for ideas, General Counsel and University Secretary Linda Drago offered to donate the statue in memory of her husband Carl, a University security officer from 1994-2001 who died in January.
"We were married when I went to law school, and I always felt Carl went to law school with me," Drago remembered. "I got the degree, but he would even spend the evenings with me in the library, helping me pull and return the books."
Architects advised that the best source for a bronze statue of St. Thomas More would be in Italy, but the Rev. Louis Vallone, a Duquesne alumnus and an adjunct faculty member in the Law School, recommended Nicholas Parrendo of Hunt Studios on the South Side. On viewing the site, Parrendo suggested a sculpture attached to the wall rather than a freestanding statue. His completed work is striking in its detail and symbolism.
"The statue is spectacular, with St. Thomas holding the book of the law in one hand, and the instrument of his martyrdom-the axe-in the other," Cafardi said.
At More's feet is the Law School's seal.
"This is an inspirational piece of religious art and a significant enhancement to our campus," agreed University President Dr. Charles J. Dougherty.
Drago especially appreciates the smile on St. Thomas' face. She noted the words of the16th century scholar Erasmus, who wrote, "What did nature ever create milder, sweeter and happier than the genius of Thomas More? There is no man living so affectionate to his children as he, and he loves his wife as if she were a girl of 15."
"That's Carl," Drago said. "Everyone on campus remembers his smile, his happiness, his kindness. That was just his nature."
The sculpture is located on the southeast wall of the law school, facing Academic Walk. A dedication ceremony will be held at the site on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 12:30 p.m
Associated Religion(s): catholic
Statue Location: south east corner of Law School building
Entrance Fee: 0
Artist: Nicholas Parrendo
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the statue. A waymarker and/or GPSr is not required to be in the image but it doesn't hurt.