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  • 2 months ago
A look at some of the last stone carvers working in the United States, those completing the sculptures adorning the Washington National Cathedral. They discuss their craft and the cultural forces which helped define it, as well as the fading use of stone ornamentation in architecture and the history of stone carving, and they tour the cathedral to point out the history behind some of the work.
Transcript
00:00My name is Vincent Palombo. I'm a stone carver.
00:05But my hands, the hands of the carver is nothing special, just...
00:10I have to be put it off.
00:13You can split a half or just like that.
00:29I've been working at the Cartier for 20 years, since when I came from Italy in 1961.
00:36Practically, I've spent half of my life on the Cartier.
00:40The Cartier is a part of me.
00:42This is my wall, anyway, this building.
00:55That's it.
00:58Here's to a happy reunion.
01:00The old carver.
01:01The old carver. I hope we live long enough to have another dozen.
01:13I've got the lily like this in my hand, like this.
01:16He takes the lily off my head right there.
01:18And he's stuck it underneath my nose.
01:21And he says, smell it!
01:24Smell it, you dummy!
01:29You know, a lot of people go home after eight hours of work.
01:32And they go home, they're disgusted, you know, because they didn't like what they're doing all day.
01:37Instead, when we go home, we're satisfied.
01:40You know, we feel like we accomplished something.
01:43And the beauty of it, every day is something different.
02:01No more time.
02:01I don't have any ideas for charity.
02:01Mm-hmm.
02:02We'll never forget.
02:03If you really want to tell the truth.
02:03But I think, of course, I'm going to be a piece of art.
02:03Metà, with the house, all of the day.
02:06I didn't get one day.
02:06I'll never forget.
02:06I'll never forget.
02:15Nomore time and I've been a place.
02:15And I'll never forget you.
02:16So remember, I'll give a piece of art.

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