Vittoriano
The gilded bronze group depicting The Action, created by Calabrian sculptor Francesco Jerace (1853-1937), stands 10 meters high on the west side of the gate. Jerace received the commission in 1907 and delivered the work only in 1912, after the Monument's inauguration ceremony: on June 4, 1911, it was therefore necessary to place in its place a provisional model of the same shape and size.
The sculptor imagined The War Action as a woman girded with the attributes of the Piedmontese army, such as the helmet of King Charles Albert, the shirt with the effigy of the Order of the Annunciation, and the flag with the inscription “Italy and Victor Emmanuel”. The figure towers above a Garibaldian soldier with a basket filled with earth next to him, which was necessary for the construction of the temporary fortification barricades, the so-called 'gabbione.' The group is completed with the lion of Venice in the act of trampling the oppressor, a woman with a club, a boy inciting to battle, and a representation of “La Giovane Italia”.
The restoration work began with the installation of the provisional works, in accordance with the project, adopting the most suitable techniques for the material being treated and complying with specific safety regulations.
