My great-grandfather, Hugo, travelled to America from Carrara, Italy where his family had lived and worked in and around the famous marble quarries for generations. Though he didn’t bring much, he did bring his trade. In New York and Pennsylvania he cut and carved marble for churches and businesses, carving facades and creating altars for the priests he would then pal around with afterword. He passed the art on to my grandfather and everyone remarked on how the men were so strong because they had been working with marble since childhood. The lamp, with its countryside panorama, would have been sold if not for an accidental drop that broke the very top. Even with its flaw, you can see the care that he put into his work. More important than the art of marble-working, Hugo passed to his children the lesson that they should take pride in the work they do. His children stressed the importance to their children and my father’s generation passed it on as well. Marble is the perfect medium for someone who takes pride in what they do. A flaw in most art can be covered up or made to look intentional, but a slip in judgment or care seems more obvious in stone. I traveled to Carrara not too long ago to better understand where I come from and found marble everywhere, clearly showing the pride the sculptors took in their work. Though I am no marble worker myself, I can still look at the lamp and other pieces Hugo made and cherish the pride he put in his work and hope to do the same.

– Lucas Musetti

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