A CHAT BETWEEN TWO GIANTS
For much of my life, I have lived under the gentle watch of two world-famous statues with a lot in common. Lady Liberty (the Statue of Liberty) in New York City and Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Cristo Redentor as it is affectionately known in Brazil. In their respective cities, these two colossal, symbolic and recognizable landmarks are cherished as beacons of light. Both have the Atlantic Ocean at their feet. Liberty welcomes people seeking safe harbor, and perched on the Corcovado granite pinnacle, Cristo outstretches his arms to the people huddled around the Bay of Guanabara. By coincidence, both statues have strong French ties. Sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartoldi created Lady Liberty with Gustave Eiffel, the engineer behind the famous tower. She was gifted to the young American Republic by a group of idealistic French Republicans (1886). The Cristo was designed by Hector da Silva Costa, a Brazilian sculptor with the as...