A Hidden Signature Unveils a Forgotten Artist
For years, the origins of two sculptures above the double doors of Georgian Court University’s historic Casino building remained a mystery. That changed in 2024 when Michael F. Gross, Ph.D., Associate Provost for Academic Program Development, noticed a signature at the bottom right of each piece. Intrigued, he climbed a ladder to photograph the signatures more closely.
After careful research and trial-and-error Google searches, he landed on the name Geremia Grandelis, an Italian sculptor whose work adorned landmarks such as the Metropolitan Theater in New York, the National Cathedral and Supreme Court in Washington, and Canada’s Parliament Building in Ottawa.
The two sculptures have long been known to depict classical themes. One features a charioteer with four horses, likely inspired by Greek or Roman mythology, though its exact origins remain unclear. The other is a sculpted interpretation of Automedon with the Horses of Achilles, a painting by French artist Henri Regnault, completed in 1868. The original painting, which hangs in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, was identified in Georgian Court, a book by Sister Christina Geis—though she didn’t know the sculptor’s identity at the time. Notably, Grandelis’ sculpture features a young boy to the left of the horses who does not appear in the painting; it is believed that this figure represents one of the male children of the Gould family, for whom Georgian Court was originally built as a winter estate in the late 1890s.
As Dr. Gross delved deeper into Grandelis’ history, he came across a news story about Laura Sacco and her mother, Anna Maria De Zolt, two of Grandelis’ descendants from Italy. The mother-daughter duo traveled to the U.S. in late 2024 to trace their family’s connection to Middletown, New Jersey, where Grandelis once lived. Their journey included visits to a sculpture he created for his son’s tombstone in Metuchen and his final resting place at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Red Bank.
Dr. Gross reached out to Cassie Corbett, a relative of Laura and Anna Maria, who happened to live in New Jersey. Cassie, in turn, revealed an unexpected connection: her son, Freddie Corbett, was married to Allyson Nisay-Corbett, a current student in GCU’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program!
Eager to learn more, Dr. Gross and Brunella Bowditch, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology, arranged a video call with Laura and Anna Maria. Dr. Bowditch, who is originally from Italy and comes from a region near Grandelis’ hometown, helped facilitate the conversation—translating and sharing insights. The call provided new details about Grandelis’ life and work, deepening GCU’s understanding of the sculptor’s legacy.
“This discovery connects our family’s past with my present in a way I never imagined,” Nisay-Corbett said.
With this newfound knowledge, Georgian Court University can now properly recognize Geremia Grandelis’ contributions to its historic estate, ensuring his artistic legacy endures for future generations.
