kˈɑːɹloʊ bɑːɹsˈɑːɾi, ðɪ ˈɛdɪɾɚɹ ʌvðɪ ɪtˈæliənɐmˈɛɹɪkən nˈuːzpeɪpɚɹ ˈɪl pɹəɡɹˈɛsoʊ ˈɪɾəlˌoʊɐmˌɛɹɪkˈɑːnoʊ, ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli wˈɔntᵻd tʊ ɪɹˈɛkt ɐ mˈʌtʃ mˈoːɹ səbstˈænʃəl stˈætʃuː ʌv dˈɑːnteɪ təbi plˈeɪst ɪn tˈaɪmz skwˈɛɹ ɚɹˈaʊnd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛlv, bˌʌt bɪkˈʌz ʌv fʌndɹˈeɪzɪŋ dˈɪfɪkˌʌltiz ˈɑːptᵻd fɚɹə smˈɔːlɚ stˈætʃuː kəmplˈiːɾᵻd baɪ ˈɛɾɚ zˈaɪmiːnz təbi ɪɹˈɛktᵻd æt bɹˈɔːdweɪ ænd wˈɛst sˈɪksti fˈoːɹθ
Carlo Barsotti, the editor of the Italian-American newspaper Il Progresso Italo-Americano, originally wanted to erect a much more substantial statue of Dante to be placed in Times Square around 1912, but because of fundraising difficulties opted for a smaller statue completed by Ettore Ximenes to be erected at Broadway and West 64th