Mr Alexander Isaacson of Inverleigh, Acland street, St Kilda has made a presentation to the St Kilda foreshore committee of a piece of valuable statuary the subject of which is a smiling Italian peasant boy. The statue is of Carrara marble, and stands 23½ in, high. It was sculptured by G. Livi (1) in 1888. The secretary to the committee (Mr H. O. Allan) said yesterday that it was probable that the statue would be placed on the lawn between Luna Park and the end of the Upper Esplanade. Mr Isaacson had offered to provide a suitable pedestal for the statue. A few years ago Mr. Isaacson presented to the trustees of the National Gallery a very fine collection of coins (2).
Alexander Isaacson is listed in the 1927 Electoral Roll at 12 Acland Street, St Kilda and his occupation is a jeweller. The property was actually called Inverleith, not Inverleigh as stated in the article; it is now demolished, but the St Kilda Historical Society has a history of the property, here. Mr Isaacson, who was a bachelor, died on October 18, 1950, aged 80 (3).
What has happened to the marble bust of the smiling Italian boy generously donated by Alexander Isaacson?
A photograph of the Carrara marble bust
The Argus May 11, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3853798
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Footnotes
(1) The sculptor was likely Giuseppe Livi, born in Italy in 1828, but we have no other biographical information.
(3) Alexander Isaacson's death notice wa sin The Argus, October 19, 1950, here. He is buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery.
