![Romano Romanelli](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Romano_Romanelli.jpg)
Romano Romanelli (14 May 1882 – 25 September 1968)
was an Italian artist, writer, and naval officer. He is best known for his sculptures and his medals.
Romanelli was born in
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
, the son of sculptor
Raffaello Romanelli. Romano's works occupy an important place in the
Avant-Garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
movement and form part of the artistic legacy of the Romanelli dynasty, which continues to this day. He is buried in the Soffiano cemetery in Florence.
Personal life
Florentine by descendant, on his mother's side of
Francesco Ferrucci
Francesco Ferruccio (or Ferrucci) (14893 August 1530) was an Italian captain from Florence who fought in the Italian Wars.
Biography
After spending a few years as a merchant's clerk he took to soldiering at an early age, and served his apprentic ...
, the famous Florentine Military Commissioner of the
Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...
family and a ship-owner, and on his father's side the son and grandson of renowned sculptors.
His grandfather
Pasquale Romanelli had been a collaborator of
Lorenzo Bartolini
Lorenzo Bartolini (Prato, 7 January 1777 Florence, 20 January 1850) was an Italian sculptor who infused his neoclassicism with a strain of sentimental piety and naturalistic detail, while he drew inspiration from the sculpture of the Florentine ...
, his father was the acclaimed and talented
Raffaello Romanelli. He was a decorated Naval officer in the
Italian Navy
"Fatherland and Honour"
, patron =
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = ( is the return of soldiers to their barrack, or sailors to their ship after a ...
.
As a commanding officer in Gibraltar, Romano was to meet Dorothea Hayter, and she would become his wife in 1925. She was the daughter of Rev.
William Thomas Baring Hayter. They had three children - a son, Raffaello Romanelli (b. 1926), and two daughters, Costanza (b. 1928) married to Bettino, 31st Baron Ricasoli (b.1922, d.2009) and Ilaria (b.1931) married to Arnaud Faure (b.1930-d.2015).
He was also a wine producer creating at the turn of the 20th century the Tenuta di Riseccoli winery in Greve in Chianti. He also held farms in Somalia, on the
Jubba River
The Jubba River or Juba River ( so, Wabiga Jubba) is a river in southern Somalia which flows through the autonomous region of Jubaland. It begins at the border with Ethiopia, where the Dawa and Ganale Dorya rivers meet, and flows directly south ...
, where he had plantations of banana trees and grapefruits. In 1965 his wife, whilst driving to the local hospital she had created, was sadly murdered by natives.
In 2012, his daughters Costanza and Ilaria donated their collection of around two thousand drawings by their father to the Florentine Galleria d’Arte Moderna housed in the
Palazzo Pitti
The Palazzo Pitti (), in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast, mainly Renaissance, palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present ...
.
Naval service
As a boy under the guidance of his father, Romano showed an aptitude for sculpting, and it seemed that he would follow the family tradition of sculpture. But Romano first found a career in the Italian Navy.
After studying Mathematics at
Pisa University
The University of Pisa ( it, Università di Pisa, UniPi), officially founded in 1343, is one of the oldest universities in Europe.
History
The Origins
The University of Pisa was officially founded in 1343, although various scholars place ...
, Romano attended the
Italian Naval Academy
The Italian Naval Academy (Italian: ''Accademia Navale'') is a coeducational military university in Livorno, which is responsible for the technical training of military officers of the Italian Navy.
History The Hospitals The Hospital of St. Jame ...
at Livorno. As a cadet and junior officer in the
Italian Navy
"Fatherland and Honour"
, patron =
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = ( is the return of soldiers to their barrack, or sailors to their ship after a ...
, he made five voyages, visiting the Mediterranean, North America, and Europe including the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
and
Madeira
)
, anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira")
, song_type = Regional anthem
, image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg
, map_alt=Location of Madeira
, map_caption=Location of Madeira
, subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
. He served for three years in the Far East, including China, Japan and
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
, the Dutch and British East Indies, the Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea. He left service in 1910 for medical reasons and began to work as a sculptor. Recalled into the Navy for the
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War ( tr, Trablusgarp Savaşı, "Tripolitanian War", it, Guerra di Libia, "War of Libya") was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire from 29 September 1911, to 18 October 1912. As a result o ...
in 1911–12, he served as a navigator in an armed cruiser patrolling in the area between
Corsica
Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
and
Palermo
Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
, Sicily. Recalled once again in 1914 at the outbreak of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, he was appointed officer in command of the Southern
Adriatic
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...
and
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea ( el, Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, ''Iónio Pélagos'' ; it, Mar Ionio ; al, Deti Jon ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including C ...
. He subsequently commanded an auxiliary cruiser, and in 1916–1919, he was based in
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
, where he was the Italian naval officer assigned to co-operate with other allied navies protecting merchant vessels from
U-boat
U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...
attacks during their passage between the
Straits of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medit ...
and the Italian coast.
He was decorated and became an honorary member of the
British Legion
The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants, as well as all others in ne ...
. His time in service and voyages were to have a lasting influence on his artwork: in 1940 he wrote "Romanticismo Velico" (Vallecchi, Firenze, 1940), a memory of his naval life from childhood to naval service in Africa and the Far East.
First works
During his leaves from naval service Romano found time to develop his sculpting skills. His personal style continued to evolve through his lifetime as he sought to master his craft. In 1905 and 1906 he made two portraits, including one of his brother Renzo. In 1906 Romano started work on his bronze monument, ''
Hercules strangling with the Nemean lion'', a piece was presented at the Biennale at
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
in 1910, then also at the Universal Exhibition in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
in 1911. In 1930, a statue dedicated to the Patriot Manin was removed from
Piazza Ognissanti in Florence, and in its place, by 1937, this work was set in place as a gift to the city of Florence in 1935 by Angelo Orvieto. The highly defined muscular tension and precarious equilibrium between the two antagonists recalls the Hellenistic sculpture: ''I lottatori'' (The Wrestlers) found at the Uffizi; however, by the 1930s, the sculptures would have been popular with the fascist authorities, since Mussolini self-identified with Hercules. The sculpture alluded to Mussolini's Italy subjugation and conquest of African countries and lands.
Schooling
Romano was traditionally schooled at his father's studio, learning the techniques of modelling clay. Whilst gaining a grounding in the technical elements of sculpting from his father, from the outset Romano's style was different. The development of his own personal style was aided by frequenting the studio of other sculptors, initially
Giussepe Renda from
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
and later
Domenico Trentacoste
Domenico Trentacoste (20 September 1859 – 18 March 1933) was an Italian sculptor.
Biography
Born in Palermo, Sicily; at the age of 12 years, Trentacoste began apprenticing with the sculptor Domenico Costantino. As a young man he travelled t ...
. At Trentacoste's studio he also came into contact with
Maffio Maffii. Another key influence in the formation of his own unique style was
Vincenzo Gemito
Vincenzo Gemito (July 16, 1852 – March 1, 1929) was an Italian sculptor and artist.
Although he worked in various studios of well-known artists in his native Naples, Rome and Paris, he is considered to have largely been self-taught, the reason ...
, whose studio in Naples he visited several times. He inspired in him a love for nature seen through the ideal image created by the Greek masters of the
Hellenistic period
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in 3 ...
. During his time in the navy, one particular trip would take him to the Greek remains of the
Valle dei Tempi in
Agrigento
Agrigento (; scn, Girgenti or ; grc, Ἀκράγας, translit=Akrágas; la, Agrigentum or ; ar, كركنت, Kirkant, or ''Jirjant'') is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. It was one of ...
, Sicily, which he would draw upon as inspiration in his later work. While Romano would never part ways with this Classical grounding, he would go on to achieve a commendable feat, that of creating sculpture that was on the one hand paying homage to Antiquity and on the other toying with newfound concepts of
Artistic Modernity. This juxtaposition is essentially the reason why Romano's sculpture is perceived to be unique.
A year in Paris
It was the year 1910-11 that would point him in this direction. Romano entered Paris when the French
Avant-Garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
movement was in prominence, and therefore became submersed in an environment in which contemporary visions of art were blooming. Romano also frequented the
Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
where he drew inspiration from
French Classicism
17th-century French literature was written throughout the ''Grand Siècle'' of France, spanning the reigns of Henry IV of France, the Regency of Marie de Medici, Louis XIII of France, the Regency of Anne of Austria (and the civil war called the F ...
. He studied in various studios, notably that of
Auguste Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
, where he was influenced by the master himself and fellow sculptors
Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle (30 October 1861 – 1 October 1929), born Émile Antoine Bordelles, was an influential and prolific French sculptor and teacher. He was a student of Auguste Rodin, a teacher of Giacometti and Henri Matisse, and an important fi ...
and
Aristide Maillol
Aristide Joseph Bonaventure Maillol (; December 8, 1861 – September 27, 1944) was a French sculptor, painter, and printmaker.Le Normand-Romain, Antoinette . "Maillol, Aristide". ''Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online''. Oxford University P ...
. Romano befriended the painter
Maurice Denis
Maurice Denis (; 25 November 1870 – 13 November 1943) was a French painter, decorative artist, and writer. An important figure in the transitional period between impressionism and modern art, he is associated with '' Les Nabis'', symbolism, a ...
, whose work became a point of reference. Dennis would later along with the sculptor
Paul Maximilien Landowski nominate Romano to become a member of the prestigious "
Institut de France
The (; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the Académie Française. It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute m ...
" and the "
Académie des Beaux-Arts
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...
". Romano kept company with many prominent figures of the artistic community as well as being exposed to great works of art, including
Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (, ; ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French Post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of colour and Synthetism, Synthetist style that were d ...
’s exotic Tahitian beauties. The oriental aspects of Gauguin’s work as well as Romano’s military voyages to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
are deemed responsible for the synthetic style seen in Romano’s figure formation. Romano’s most notable work to emerge from this time was Il Risveglio di Brunilde – Brunhild’s Awakening in 1913, inspired by
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
’s Opera "
Siegfried
Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace".
The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...
" which was being performed in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
at the time. The American dancer
Isadora Duncan
Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...
was the lead role and she posed for Romano initially in Paris and later at
Viareggio
Viareggio () is a city and ''comune'' in northern Tuscany, Italy, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. With a population of over 62,000, it is the second largest city within the province of Lucca, after Lucca.
It is known as a seaside resort as ...
. Romano was fascinated with the unique bodily form displayed in Duncan’s dancing; the freedom of her movement was captivating for the artistic eye.
Post First World War
Following the First World War Romano dedicated himself wholeheartedly to a career in sculpture. Romano’s style underwent a transformative period as the themes of his work became increasingly influenced by the setting in which he found himself. Eva - Eve (1918) with her soft lines is still reminiscent of
Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
. However, La Signora Giglioli – Mrs. Giglioli (1922) looks more to the Italian Avant-Garde movement as does Leda con il Cigno - Leda and the Swan (1923).
Mario Tinti suggested that Romano's military duties significantly impacted his style. He writes that Romano "began to strip his art of every psychological, dynamic, and colourist influence that he had unconsciously derived from Rodin - all his efforts from now on were directed towards making his art more severe, and more religious, more architectural and absolute - in a word, more 'Italian' ".The validity of these words lies in the abundance of Romano's works linked to
Italian Nationalism
Italian nationalism is a movement which believes that the Italians are a nation with a single homogeneous identity, and therefrom seeks to promote the cultural unity of Italy as a country. From an Italian nationalist perspective, Italianness is ...
and Classicism, but his work continued to display traces of his pre-war influences. The first of many large commissions to come his way was the Equestrian statue of
General Botha
HMS ''Thames'' was a protected cruiser built for the Royal Navy (RN) in the 1880s. The ship was placed in reserve upon her completion in 1888 and was converted into a submarine depot ship in 1903. She was sold out of the navy in 1920 and w ...
for his Memorial (1928), which stands outside the parliament in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, originally a commission to his father
Raffaello Romanelli which he took over upon his death. After World War II, Romano's links with South Africa also gave his workshop a role in the creation of the historical friezes for the
Voortrekker Monument
The Voortrekker Monument is located just south of Pretoria in South Africa. The granite structure is located on a hilltop, and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854. It was designed by the a ...
in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. The design was created by four South African sculptors
Hennie Potgieter,
Laurika Postma,
Frikkie Kruger and
Peter Kirchhoff who spent five years creating plaster panels. These panels were sent to Florence where Romanelli had a large studio with machinery and technical equipment. Romano directed 50 chisellers replicating the plaster designs in Quercetta marble.
The Two Boxers
Pugile in Combattimento – The Fighting Boxer (1926) bought by Minister
Augusto Turati
Augusto Turati (16 April 1888 – 27 August 1955) was an Italian journalist and Fascist politician.
Born in Parma, after moving to Brescia as a young man, Turati worked on newspapers and became one of the editors at the liberal ''Provincia ...
for the
Foro Italico
Foro Italico is a sports complex in Rome, Italy, on the slopes of Monte Mario. It was built between 1928 and 1938 as the Foro Mussolini (literally Mussolini's Forum) under the design of Enrico Del Debbio and, later, Luigi Moretti. Inspired by t ...
stadium in Rome and shown at the "
Mostra del Novecento" in 1929 bears witness to Romano's style of the post war period. From the plaster version preserved at Galleria Romanelli, the masculine lines accompanied by finer details gives the sculpture its strong impact. The socks, the livery, the gloves and the concentration on the facial expression and the action stance of the athlete all reveal a style which leans towards the pursuit of verisimilitude. Following on from this theme is the Il Pugile Ferito - Wounded Boxer (1929-1931), inspired by the beautiful Hellenistic bronze ll Pugilatore in Riposo housed at the National Museum, Rome (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme), is distinctive of Romano's style of this period. The similarity can be seen particularly in the positioning of the hands and of the head turned towards the right. There are still undercurrents of
Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
, who remained a constant source of inspiration, as the rough surface of the bronze and the deep shadows highlighting the volumes and inspiration from the sober and introverse sculpture of
Charles Despiau
Charles Despiau (November 4, 1874 – October 28, 1946) was a French sculptor.
Early life
Charles-Albert Despiau was born at Mont-de-Marsan, Landes and attended first the École des Arts Décoratifs and later the École nationale supérieure de ...
, author of a bronze "l'Atlète"
Work under Fascism
Romanelli was a prominent sculptor during the fascist regime of
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
. He completed a portrait bust for Mussolini, and designed the monumental bas-relief of Mussolini on horseback for the Torre della Rivoluzione in Brescia. The bas-relief ''Romolo che Traccia il Solco'' (Romulus Ploughing the Furrow) (1925–32), complements the rhetoric of the regime. The bronze was completed in 1930 and was purchased by the regime for the
Palazzo delle Corporazioni in Rome. The original plaster is conserved in the Galleria Romanelli in Florence. The subject is the drawing of the city boundaries of Rome by its founder
Romulus
Romulus () was the legendary foundation of Rome, founder and King of Rome, first king of Ancient Rome, Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus ...
. The composition plays with the concept of force, the force of the man handling the plough and the counter force of the ox. It is the equilibrium of this force, which underpins the birth of the capital. His adopted style is simple and incisive, inspired by the primitivism of the Avant-Garde and the Greek archaic sculptures. Here Romano is elaborating on the research he made into these styles in his earlier days. Romanelli's expression of the message gives a sense of immediacy.
In 1932 through a number of newspaper editorials, published in La Nazione, Florence's main daily, he criticized the poorly thought-out project by the Architect Mazzoni for the new
Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station
Firenze Santa Maria Novella (in English Florence Santa Maria Novella) or Stazione di Santa Maria Novella is a terminus railway station in Florence, Italy. The station is used by 59 million people every year and is one of the busiest in Ital ...
A constructive debate resulted in the final choice of the project designed by Gruppo Toscano composed of
Giovanni Michelucci
Giovanni Michelucci, Italian architect, urban planner and designer, was born in Pistoia, Tuscany, on 2 January 1891 and died on the night of 31 December 1990, two days before his 100th birthday, at his studio-home in Fiesole, in Florence's hills ...
, Berardi,
Italo Gamberini
Italo may refer to:
*Italo-, a prefix indicating a relation to Italy or Italians
Film
* ''Italo'' (film), a 2014 comedy film
* Italo crime, a genre of crime film
Music genres
*Italo disco
*Italo dance
*Italo house
People
*Italo Allodi (1928– ...
, Baroni, Lusanna and sponsored by the Architect
Marcello Piacentini
Marcello Piacentini (8 December 1881 – 19 May 1960) was an Italian urban theorist and one of the main proponents of Italian Fascist architecture.
Biography
Born in Rome, he was the son of architect Pio Piacentini. When he was only 26, he was ...
.
[Cresti, C. Architettura e Fascismo, Firenze Valecchi, 1986] Mussolini personally praised the young architects.
He took part in the
art competitions at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Art competitions were held as part of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Medals were awarded in five categories (architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture), for works inspired by sport-related themes.
The art exhibitio ...
.
The 1930s
During this decade Romano was inundated with prestigious public commissions. The ''Justice of Trajan'' (La Giustizia di Traiano) (1933–34) is perhaps Romano's most significant commission for the regime. The monument's sincere style being described by
Soffici as "synthetic realism". It was produced in white marble for the
Palazzo di Giustizia, the law court in Milan, where it is still today and the original plaster is preserved in the Galleria Romanelli in Florence. The theme is inspired by
Dante
Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
’s Canto X of Purgatory, in which the Roman emperor
Trajan
Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...
administers justice on behalf of the widowed woman kneeling in front of him. The composition is inspired by Roman scenes of triumph, staged within the frame of Classical columns. Several human figures are portrayed in this tale, in the centre the Emperor on horseback, and the widow. In the foreground a group of soldiers taking part in the parade of triumph: amongst these figures, previous works of Romano can be recognised, as the portrait of Mussolini, and those of Romano's intellectual and artist friends
Giovanni Papini
Giovanni Papini (9 January 18818 July 1956) was an Italian journalist, essayist, novelist, short story writer, poet, literary critic, and Italian philosophy, philosopher. A controversial literary figure of the early and mid-twentieth century, he ...
,
Ardengo Soffici
Ardengo Soffici (7 April 1879 – 19 August 1964) was an Italian writer, painter, poet, sculptor and intellectual.
Early life
Soffici was born in Rignano sull'Arno, near Florence. In 1893 his family moved to the latter city, where he studi ...
,
Domenico Giuliotti and
Maffio Maffii. On the right other famous works can be spotted, Il "Risveglio di Brunilde" and the "Gesù Bambino", "Il portatore d’Acqua", "Giano e la Vergine" and finally the "Ritratto di Fanciulla Etrusca".
His ''Equestrian Monument Dedicated to George Castriot
Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
'' (1938), whose plaster stands in the Galleria Romanelli, was made in bronze to be exhibited in
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
after Italy's invasion of the territory, but ended in
Piazza Albania
Piazza Albania is a square of Rome (Italy), placed along Viale Aventino, not far from Porta San Paolo, at the footsteps of the Aventine Hill.
History
The square was conceived together with the urban development plan of 1883, that, amongst other ...
in Rome, where is still stands today.
George Castriot
Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
is an Albanian national hero, was a 15th-century nobleman who led Christian resistance against the Ottoman Muslims. The son of an Albanian prince he was kidnapped by the Ottoman court in 1423, becoming the pupil of
Sultan Murad II and forced to engage in military duties on behalf of his empire. He deserted at the battle of
Niš
Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
in
Skënderbej in Albania and organised a rebellion against the sultan and defended the region against the Ottoman Empire for 25 years.
Lo Scultore - The Sculptor (1926-1930) is similar to The Pugile in its display of physical force, had been purchased during the second Mostra del Novecento by the Minister Turati for the Stadio Nazionale di Roma. The piece represents a symbol of force through its physical pose; strength for Romanelli was essential to his work, representing physical and moral force.
Today "Lo Scultore" is the logo/emblem for the six generations of artists who have passed through the doors of the historical Romanelli studio.
Giano e la Vergine - Giano and the Virgin (1929–30), represents the union between the Roman god
Janus
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
and the nymph
Camesena who is described as the
Muse of Song, and is represented by
Carducci Carducci is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bartolomeo Carducci (1560–1610), Florentine artist
* Giosuè Carducci (1835–1907), Italian poet
* Joe Carducci (born 1955), American writer and record producer
* Marco ...
as autochthonous
Child of the Soil, and from whom the
Italic race was born according to an extremely ancient legend (
Macrobius
Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius, usually referred to as Macrobius (fl. AD 400), was a Roman provincial who lived during the early fifth century, during late antiquity, the period of time corresponding to the Later Roman Empire, and when Latin was ...
). The theme is inspired by the rediscovery of original Roman sources, a discourse which permeated the fascist rhetoric of the period. The nationalistic undertones and Classical style were not accidental, in the wake of the tragedies Romano witnessed first hand during the First World War. Stylistically this group is both hard and synthetic but the gesture tender in the acting of hugging.
One of Romano's last works was from a competition for a large commission which he won at the end of the decade for the ''
Monument to the Italians Fallen in Africa'' (1938–39). Stylistically this piece is very similar to his other works of the period, emitting great strength and force. The work honors the soldiers who died in Italy's colonial conquests, including a tomb for an unknown soldier. It was intended for
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...
, Ethiopia however with the outbreak of the Second World War the shipment was interrupted and the piece remained in storage. Later on in the 1950s the parts were put together in
Syracuse, Sicily
Syracuse ( ; it, Siracusa ; scn, Sarausa ), ; grc-att, wikt:Συράκουσαι, Συράκουσαι, Syrákousai, ; grc-dor, wikt:Συράκοσαι, Συράκοσαι, Syrā́kosai, ; grc-x-medieval, Συρακοῦσαι, Syrakoûs ...
, under the emblematic title of "Monument to the Soldier and Worker" where it still stands today. This was a strategic port for the Italian military at the time when they departed for the colonies. The monument is composed of six statues, one is not original as it was lost in storage and as such was substituted by a replica of smaller dimensions. The marble frieze is a very distinctive feature of the piece.
Following the signing of
Pact of Steel
The Pact of Steel (german: Stahlpakt, it, Patto d'Acciaio), formally known as the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy, was a military and political alliance between Italy and Germany.
The pact was initially drafted as a t ...
between the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
on May 22, 1939, Romano became publicly extremely critical of the regime, having advised it strongly against this alliance. He was then pursued by the regime which issued an arrest warrant for him and he went into hiding, first in the
Tuscan countryside, on one of his estates where he was eventually denounced by one of his own farmers, but managed to escape and subsequently hid in the
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum
The Holy See
* The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...
until the end of the war.
In the meantime, his wife Dorothea hid and gave refuge in a secret space below the roof of their family home in Florence to a number of Jews and other personalities pursued by the regime, such as the German artist and Florentine resident but anti-Nazi, Baroness Gisele von Stockhausen, for her knowledge of the area and drawing skills necessary for the drawing of military maps. A friendly member of the Italian Military Police, the
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign polic ...
, would warn Dorothea the day before searches were planned in the area, so that she could let the refugees run into hiding in other caches outside the home.
After the war he was nominated Professor of Sculpture at the Italian Academy of Fine Arts, Florence and held the chair for sculpture until 1953. A seal of approval for his artistic accomplishments.
Medals and portraiture
Influenced by the style of
Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle (30 October 1861 – 1 October 1929), born Émile Antoine Bordelles, was an influential and prolific French sculptor and teacher. He was a student of Auguste Rodin, a teacher of Giacometti and Henri Matisse, and an important fi ...
and
Maurice Denis
Maurice Denis (; 25 November 1870 – 13 November 1943) was a French painter, decorative artist, and writer. An important figure in the transitional period between impressionism and modern art, he is associated with '' Les Nabis'', symbolism, a ...
and Greek Archaisim, Romano created many bronze medals reverting to the illustrious tradition of Greek coins and some of the medal making of the
Quatrocento. Proclaimed by critics to be the most beautiful to be produced since those of
Giovanni da San Gallo in the Fifteenth century.
Before the outbreak of World War I, he was commissioned by
Gabriele D'Annunzio to create a limited series of four medals "Medaglie di Guerra" to honour the valiant . Medaglia per l'Aviazione in Marina, Medaglia per la Real Nave Andrea Doria, Medaglia per la Corazzata 36PN, Medaglia per la Sommergibilie S1 & S2
Inheriting his father's skill for portraiture, Romano was later commissioned to create many portraits of renowned Italian writers and artists of the day, such as
Giovanni Papini
Giovanni Papini (9 January 18818 July 1956) was an Italian journalist, essayist, novelist, short story writer, poet, literary critic, and Italian philosophy, philosopher. A controversial literary figure of the early and mid-twentieth century, he ...
(1929) exhibited in the
Pitti Palace
The Palazzo Pitti (), in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast, mainly Renaissance, palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present ...
, and of A. Soffici (1930).
He additionally sculpted international figures, notably the
Duke of Aosta
Duke of Aosta ( it, Duca d'Aosta; french: Duc d'Aoste) was a title in the Italian nobility. It was established in the 13th century when Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, made the County of Aosta a duchy. The region was part of the Savoyard stat ...
(1932),
Chiquita Esteban de Canongo (1922),
Princess Aspasia wife of
Alexander, King of the Hellenes, Count
Paolo Guicciardini (1928) and
Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
on Horseback (1933) for
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...
.
Presidency of the Royal Academy of Italy
Romano declined numerous invitations to assume positions of presidency. Firstly in 1934 when he was offered the presidency of the
Royal Academy of Italy
The Royal Academy of Italy ( it, Reale Accademia d'Italia, italic=no) was a short-lived Italian academy of the Fascist period. It was created on 7 January 1926 by royal decree,See reference . but was not inaugurated until 28 October 1929. It was e ...
, in Florence. Then in 1942, the presidency of the Instituto d’Arte in Venice. He finally took-up the offer for the former position due to pressure exerted on him by his associates. He was then named an
Accademico d’Italia
Voortrekker Monument
After World War II, Romanelli's workshop was involved in the creation of the historical friezes for the
Voortrekker Monument
The Voortrekker Monument is located just south of Pretoria in South Africa. The granite structure is located on a hilltop, and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854. It was designed by the a ...
in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. The design was created by four South African sculptors Hennie Potgieter, Laurika Postma, Frikkie Kruger and Peter Kirchhoff who spent five years creating plaster of Paris panels. These were sent to Florence where Romanelli had a large studio with machinery and technical equipment. He directed 50 chisellers replicating the plaster of Paris designs in Quercetta marble.
Medals and honours
*Medaglia di Bronzo al Valore
Selected works
Most of his bronze works were produced by the reputed bronze works foundry Fonderia Gusmano Vignali.
*''1906, Ritratto del Fratello'', Bronze
*''Ritratto di R.Carpi"'', Bronze
*''1907
Hercules Strangling the Nemean Lion'', Bronze, Piazza Ognissanti, Florence
*''1910 Studio per San Paolo'', Bronze
*''La Dolente"'', Bronze
*''1911 Bimbo Serio e Bimbo che Piange'', Plaster
*''Ritratto di Elis de’ Piccolellis"''
*''1912 Il Portatore d’Acqua'', Bronze
*''1913 Risveglio di Brunilde e Testa per il risveglio di Brunilde,'' Bronze
*''1914 Il Bacio, Bronze''
*"Medaglione del Forgiatore"
*''Medaglie di Guerra", Bronze - (Medaglia per l'Aviazione in Marina, Medaglia per la Corazzata 36PN, Medaglia per il Sommergibile S1 eS2, Medaglia per la Real Nave Andrea Doria)''
*"Checchina" (Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Firenze)
*''Ascoltando Chopin" (Galleria Civica d'Arte Moderna di Torino)''
*1916 "Ritratto a Richard Randal Davies" - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Roma bought in 1926 in Mostra del Novecento.
*1917 "Bambino coll’Uva
*''Ritratto di Miss Dorothy Hayter"''
*1918 "Eva, Bronze
*1919 "L'Idolo del Sarcasmo, Bronze
*''La Cipria", Pietra Serena''
*''La Pescatrice der Stucken", Bronze - now in Sindacato Artisti, Roma''
*1920 "Il Bambino Negro
*1921 "Donna Inglese allo Specchio
*"Medaglie della Guerra"
*Medaglia per la Duchessa d'Aosta (Helène d'Orleans)
*1922 "Leda col Cigno
*''Ritratto di Chiquita Esteban de Canongo", Bronze''
*1923 "Ritratto della Marchesa Ximenes de Aragon
*''Medaglia di Cristoforo Colombo"''
*''Ritratto della Signora Giglioli"''
*"Medaglia per i Volontari di Guerra" ordered by Gabriele d'Annunzio
*1924 "La Pietà'' now in Casa Madre dei Mutilati di Roma''
*"La Fumatrice"
*1925 "Statua di Diana
*1926 "La Bagnante'' - marble''
*''Fontana della Cariatidi" -used to be at the Savoia Hotel in Florence, now in a private collection.''
*''Pugile in Combattimento" - Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro, Rome, now dispersed.''
*"Romolo che Traccia il Solco" -Ministry of Industry, Rome (ex Palazzo delle Corporazioni)
*1927 "Ritratto di Luigi Guicciardini"
*''La Gotica"''
*''Il Bagno del Bambino", Acquaforte published in "Il Selvaggio"''
*"La Frangitura delle Olive", Drypoint
*''1928 Statua Equestre al General Botha''
*''Ritratto di Paolo Guicciardini"''
*''Torso"''
*'1929 "Ritratto di Giovanni Papini" - Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Firenze
*"Ritratto di Domenico Giuliotti" - Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Roma
*1930 "Ritratto di Ardengo Soffici" - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano
*"Testa di Pugile Ferito" Museo Revoltella di Trieste & Private Collections
*''Testa Colossale di Cavallo"''
*''Giano e la Vergine"''
*''Lo Scultore"''
*''Cristo" per il Monumento a Cadorna di Pallanza''
*1931 "Ritratto dello Scultore Grandi-Broneo
*''Ritratto di Berta Betteloni"''
*''Gesu Bambino" - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Novara''
*"Ritratto di Fanciulla Etrusca" - Collezione Feroldi, Berscia. Now dispersed.
*"Ritratto di Fiamma Sergardi Biringucci" - Catalogued as being in the Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Firenze, but presently missing.
*''1932 Pugilatore Seduto''
*''Ritratto di del Duca Amedeo d'Aosta'' - Civica Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Torino
*''1933 Ritratto della Baronessa Fiamma Sergardi''
*''Medaglia del Duca degli Abruzzi''
*1934 "Ritratto di Alessandra Morpugo
*1935 "Ritratto di Eugenio Niccolini
*1936 "Tomba della Famiglia Ruiz Panama
*"Ritratto Duca degli Abruzzi" - Italian Senate, Accademia Navale di Livorno (cit. "was removed by the British forces"
[Campana, Rosella, Romano Romanelli, Leo S. Olschki Editore, p 73]), Private Collection
*1937 "Statua di Mussolini in Piedi
*''Tomba Fiaschi Melbourne"''
*''1938 Monumento Equestre a Giorgio Castriota Skanderbeg'', Bronze
*''Tomba del Duca degli Abruzzi", Somalia''
*''1939 Monumento al Legionario'', Addis Adeba.
Exhibitions
*1910 Biennale di Venezia - "Ercole e il Leone"
*1911 Esposizione Universale di Roma - ""Ercole e il Leone""
*1926 Mostra del Novecento Italiano -"Ritratto di Richard Randal Davies"
*2003-Mart Rovereto "Scultura Linga Morta. Scultura nell'Italia Fascista" Promoted by the Henry Moore Foundation
References
Further reading
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External links
Galleria RomanelliJonathan Jones ''Roman ruins'' The Guardian, Saturday 12 July 2003
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romanelli, Romano
1882 births
1968 deaths
Regia Marina personnel
Italian military personnel of World War I
Fascist architecture
Sculptors from Florence
Italian military personnel of the Italo-Turkish War
20th-century Italian sculptors
20th-century male artists
Italian male sculptors
Olympic competitors in art competitions
Military personnel from Florence