Arthur S. Brockenbrough’s Contract with Giacomo Raggi for Carving Bases for Rotunda Columns, 8 September 1823
Arthur S. Brockenbrough’s Contract with Giacomo Raggi for Carving Bases for Rotunda Columns
Articles of agreement entered into by Arthur S Brockenbrough Proctor of the University of Virginia and on behalf of the said University on the one part and Giacomo Raggi of Italy sculptor on the other part.
The said Giacomo Raggi agrees and covenants that he will furnish the said University with ten Corinthian bases of Marble of Carrara of1 quality equal to that of the capitels lately received from Thomas Appleton, and two Pilaster bases shewing each a front & flank with returns of ten minutes at each angle where they are to adjoin the wall and in addition to the said bases shall be the listel and cavetto, which are generally2 considered as part of the shaft3 of the column, but here to be made solid with the base, that the said bases shall be proportioned to a column of three4 English feet5 in diameter, to be modeled with the utmost exactness according to the Bases of the Pantheon of Rome as drawn by Palladio in his book of Architecture, to be dressed,6 polished and finished in the best manner, each base to be of a single and sound7 piece of marble.8 that they shall be packed singly9 in strong and sufficient cases of wood, and delivered10 before the first day of June of the ensuing year11 on board of some ship in the harbour of Leghorn bound to some port of the United States of North America,12 or if there be none such at that time, then on the first which shall be there after that date,13 clear of all cost & charges, save only the sums herein after stipulated, the transportation after being on ship board in14 the said harbour to be at the expence and risk of the said University and the said Giacomo agrees15 that in the execution of the said agreement he will be under the superintendance and direction of Thomas Appleton esquire of Leghorn as acting for the University with all the rights and authority of the said Arthur S. were he there in person.16
And the said Arthur S Brockenbrough on behalf of the said University agrees & covenants, that there shall be paid to the said Giacomo the sum of Sixty five dollars17 for each of the said column bases and the sum of thirty two & one half dollars18 for each of the said pilaster bases19 as follows, to wit one half of their prices from time to time during the progress of the work in partial20 sums at the discretion of the said Thomas Appleton and the other half on their delivery on ship board21—or to Thomas Appleton if there be no ship in port on their arrival at Leghorn bound as aforesaid deducting the transportation on ship board after the delivery to said Appleton—
In witness whereof the said parties have hereto subscribed their names at the said University of Va this eighth22 day of September One thousand eight hundred & twenty three23
Arthur S Brockenbrough {Seal}
Giacomo Raggi {Seal}
The words ‘or to Thomas Appleton if there be no ship in port on their arrival at Leghorn bound as aforesaid deducting the transportation on ship board after the delivery to said Appleton’ interlined before signed—
Witness—John Neilson
MS (ViU: PP); in Brockenbrough’s hand, signed by Brockenbrough, Raggi, and Neilson; docketed in an unidentified hand: “Contract G Raggi.” Dft (ViU: TJP-PP); on verso of portion of a reused address cover from James Madison to TJ; in TJ’s hand; partially dated; unsigned; endorsed by Brockenbrough: “Copy of a contract by mr Jefferson with Raggi.” FC (DLC); summary in TJ’s hand on reused address cover to TJ reading in full: “
| heads of Raggis agreemt for Corinthian bases. | |
| Date Sep. 8. 23. |
| he will | furnish 10. Corinthn bases, for columns of 3.f. of Carra marble of quality equal to that of the Capitels lately furnd by Appleton. |
| also 2. piaster [i.e., pilaster] half bases with front & flank. | |
| with listell & cavetto, all. model of Pantheon | |
| of a single piece | |
| packed, delivd before June 1. on ship board. | |
| to be pd 65.D. for each whole, & 32.50 for each half base. | |
| one half to be pd from time to time during the progress of the work | |
| the other half on their delivy on ship board |
1. In Dft, TJ here canceled “good.”
2. Word interlined in Dft.
3. Preceding three words not in Dft.
4. Dft leaves blank space instead of this word.
5. Word not in Dft.
6. MS: “dress.” Dft: “dressed.”
7. Word added in margin of Dft, preceded by a redundant ampersand.
8. Preceding two words not in Dft.
9. Word interlined in Dft.
10. MS: “dilevered.” Dft: “delivered.”
11. Text from “before” to this point interlined in Dft.
12. Preceding three words not in Dft.
13. Dft: “there thereafter.” Text from “or if there” to this point interlined in Dft.
14. Dft: “from.”
15. Preceding five words added in Dft, with following section canceled and copied below to point indicated in note 19.
16. Dft: “he himself there.”
17. Dft: “60.D.”
18. Dft: “30.D.”
19. In Dft, paragraph to this point moved here as described in note 15.
20. Word interlined in Dft.
21. Remainder of paragraph not in Dft and interlined in MS. For TJ’s belated suggestion of this change, see next document.
22. Dft leaves blank space instead of this word.
23. Dft ends here.
Index Entries
- Appleton, Thomas; and capitals for University of Virginia search
- Appleton, Thomas; and stonecutters for Central College–University of Virginia search
- architecture; books on search
- books; on architecture search
- Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; Contract with Giacomo Raggi for Carving Bases for Rotunda Columns search
- building materials; marble search
- building materials; marble, Carrara search
- Carrara marble search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Arthur S. Brockenbrough’s Contract with Giacomo Raggi for Carving Bases for Rotunda Columns search
- marble; Carrara search
- marble; for University of Virginia search
- Neilson (Nelson), John; witnesses document search
- Palladio, Andrea; works of, as models for University of Virginia construction search
- Pantheon (Rome); as model for University of Virginia’s Rotunda search
- Raggi, Giacomo; Arthur S. Brockenbrough’s Contract with Giacomo Raggi for Carving Bases for Rotunda Columns search
- Rome, ancient; Pantheon search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; capitals for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Rotunda (library) search