The Action by Francesco Jerace

The group depicting The Action, 10 metres high and entirely made in gilt bronze, was commissioned to Francesco Jerace from Calabria (1853-1937), together with The Thought by Giulio Monteverde. Jerace, who received the commission in 1907, delivered the work only after the inauguration of the Vittoriano: on 4 June 1911 therefore, a provisional model of equal shape and size had to be placed, to act as a stand-in during the ceremony.

The Action of War appears as a woman with the attributes of Piedmont’s army, namely, the helmet of King Charles Albert, the chain mail with the effigy of the Order of the Annunciation and a flag with the inscription “Italy and Victor Emmanuel”. The figure overlooks a Garibaldi soldier with a ‘gabion’ by his side – i.e. a basket that was filled with earth and used in the barricades to build temporary fortifications - the lion of Venice in the act of trampling an oppressor, a woman with a club, a boy who incites to battle and The Young Italy with the symbols of Freemasonry, compass, square and shining sun on the forehead.