Posted on 04/10/2022 10:40:07 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Shrouded within the park of Villa Demidoff, in Medici Villas (Unesco World Heritage List, 2013), Pratolino, Vaglia, Tuscany, just 7 miles north of Florence, Italy, there sits a gigantic 16th century sculpture - 14-meter-tall masterpiece statue - known as Colosso dell'Appennino, or the Appennine Colossus. The brooding structure was first erected in 1580 by Flemish sculptor Giambologna, pseudonym of Jean de Boulogne (Douai, 1529 - Florence, 1608).
Created between 1579 and 1580, the statue was included in Francesco I de’ Medici’s collection of natural and artificial wonders, and ended up costing twice as much as the works needed to complete the Uffizi. The masonry Colossus once had rooms, caves and inner passageways, and even a hydraulic system that connected the head of the giant to the various water sources in his body.
A personification of the Apennine mountain ranges, it’s sculpted as though on that minimal margin between landscape and man, its smooth skin emerging out of the rough terrain or metamorphosing back into a mountain. He even has stalactites for a shaggy beard.
This colossal sculpture recalls the figure of Atlas in Virgil’s Aeneid, and also the architect Dinocrates’ proposal to shape Mount Athos into a man in honor of Alexander the Great.
According to a popular rhyme about the Apennine Colossus, “Giambologna made the Apennine /But then regretted making it in Pratolino”.
The anonymous author of these verses probably meant that this gigantic, would now be considered one of the greatest masterpieces sculpture has ever offered the world, if only it had been placed in Piazza della Signoria instead of in the middle of this park’s forest.
(Excerpt) Read more at tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com ...
https://www.myddoa.com/colossus-of-the-apennines-by-giambologna/
https://mymodernmet.com/giambologna-colosso-dell-appennino/
https://www.boredpanda.com/appennino-sculpture-colossus-giambologna-florence-italy/
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=vid&q=giambologna+colossus
also interesting, recent:
popped up ervin Ervin Lóránth
https://www.google.com/search?q=popped+up+ervin+Ervin+L%C3%B3r%C3%A1nth
Great Encore!
A related YT vid was, 12 great statues or something like that, these were two of the three most interesting ones.
You have a talent.
Mmmm. Bologna.
Nice.
Good “street views” on Google Earth and Google Maps.
Considering how long the statue has been there, it’s in amazingly good shape. I imagine kids of all shapes and sizes crawled all over that thing in earlier centuries. I know I would’ve as a child.
46 feet tall ... very nice.
Good idea!
Stick an accordion on the colossus, and he’d look like a 16th c Weird Al. Sort of.
Thanks!
“Gigante”
https://www.google.com/maps/search/Villa+di+Pratolino/@43.8594398,11.3044448,57m/data=!3m1!1e3
In the street view, there’s a light at the foot of the hand rail ...pointed at the statue, out across the pond. I bet that thing is awesome when lit up at night.
I’ve been to Florence a few times but never heard of this. Thanks for posting.
Although I've never been to Florence, I'd never heard of it either. ;^) Or heard of this for that matter:
The lion monument in Lucerne, Switzerland, is an all-time favourite sight of this alpine Swiss city. This monument is magnificent, as it is carved into a huge rock that was shaped by glaciers back in the ice age. The craftsmanship that has gone into the lion monument is unheard of. However, most of the tourist that come to visit, come in groups and use it as a toilet stop. The guides usually talk about some highlights as to who made it and what it signifies. But let’s be honest, this doesn’t do justice at all.
The lion monument is in honour of Swiss legions that served the French king up until the French revolution. During the revolution, these legions where protecting the palace of the then reigning king, without him in it... They were overrun by the masses and were killed.
Now how is this important? Switzerland has been in service of other since forever. The foundation of Switzerland only came about, because they told their rulers that they have had their time. So this lion not only stand for the event it was built for but basically our entire history. And that’s powerful.
So when you visit the monument, why don’t you reflect about your country. What makes it the country that it is? What’s great, what’s not so much? Or your life even.Why you should visit the Lion Monument in Lucerne!
Switzerland History | July 20, 2019 | Switzerland Insider
VLC Shapour cave Drone FHD
January 15, 2019
key2persia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzFF44Mk_4c
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