Only recently he succeeded in getting the monument erected in Pisa, on Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli. How did he managed that? Mr. Farnesi seriously threatened to donate the bronze to Livorno...
External links: Pietro Maffi (Wikipedia)
Monday, May 13, 2013
Galileo
Cardinal Pietro Maffi (1858—1931) wasn't your usual porporate: he was a scientist, an astronomer and the director the Vatican Observatory since 1904. In 1922, when he was Archbishop of Pisa, proposed to erect a statue of Galileo Galilei in piazza dei Miracoli, to make an amend of sorts to the scientist condemned by the Inquisition as a heretic, but nothing came out of this at the time.
About twenty years ago Flaminio Farnesi, a Pisan entrepreneur, commissioned a 5-meter bronze statue of Galileo to the sculptress Stefania Guidi. When the work was ready the city of Pisa wasn't yet able or willing to find a suitable location for it, so Mr. Farnesi placed the statue at the entrance of his factory.
Only recently he succeeded in getting the monument erected in Pisa, on Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli. How did he managed that? Mr. Farnesi seriously threatened to donate the bronze to Livorno...
External links: Pietro Maffi (Wikipedia)
Only recently he succeeded in getting the monument erected in Pisa, on Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli. How did he managed that? Mr. Farnesi seriously threatened to donate the bronze to Livorno...
External links: Pietro Maffi (Wikipedia)
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9 comments:
Really an interesting pose!
That's rather scary looking.
He does look a bit scary, or mad perhaps. How strange that there was no other suitable place...
What a story! I think Livorno was rather lucky not to get this 5-meter (!) statue of Galileo looking like a mad scientist.
The factory wall is really nice, however.
Scary!
Glad I now see him in daylight!
He doesn't look like a very happy man...
Dina - I agree with you about the statue, which is already in place against the wall of the Old Citadel of Pisa.
Oh, yes, that does look more like a citadel wall. Thanks.
What a composition, VP! I just love that background. Fantastic!
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