Monument to Victor Emmanuel II ( Italian: Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II ) - in Milan, on the main square of the city - Piazza del Duomo . Established in memory of the first king of Italy, Victor Emanuel II (1820-1878).
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The equestrian statue of the king is set on a high pedestal, at the bottom of red granite, at the top - stairs made of white marble. Above there is another pedestal of Carrara marble , adorned with high relief depicting the entrance of the Piedmontese troops into Milan after the Battle of Magenta during the Second War of Independence (April 27 - July 12, 1859). On the front side of the pedestal is the date “June 1859” in commemoration of the king's entrance to Milan (June 8, 1859), and on the opposite side, “June 14, 1896” is the date of opening of the monument.
The sculpture in bronze shows the king, besieging the horse, which gives great energy to the composition. With all four legs, the animal stands on a pedestal, which ensures the stability of the sculpture.
On the white marble staircase of the pedestal are placed two lions, lying on the side steps and pawing trampling shields with the names "Rome" and "Milan" - the greatest gains in the Risorgimento (war of independence).
On May 18, 2012, under the statue, the foundation premises were discovered, above which a monument was erected.
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History
The monument was commissioned by the Italian sculptor Ercole Rosa (1846–1893) by King Umberto I in 1878 after the death in the year of his father, Victor Emmanuel II.
The construction of the monument was carried out only in 1896, as the sculptor died before the work was completed.
Project Rose officially won the competition for the creation of a statue dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II for the city of Vercelli , but in 1879 it was decided to continue work to achieve greater similarity.
In 1893, when the bronze details of the monument (cast in the Barigozzi smelting furnace) were completed, the place of its installation was discussed in detail, a place was offered at the royal palace or Duomo square, the choice was made in favor of the square. After Rose’s death, the work was continued by the Barzagi brothers under the guidance of sculptor Ettore Ferrari.
Literature
Factory Villa "Walking in Milan. The best in the city. Hiking Trails "Publisher: AST, 2014, ISBN 978-88-544-0909-5 , 978-5-17-087691-4
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Links
Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele (ital.)