Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II 1898

Giuseppe Barberis made this monument to Vittorio Emanuele II sometime between 1840 and 1917. Likely constructed from bronze and stone, this statue is a product of its time. With the industrial revolution came new techniques for quarrying, transporting, and carving stone. Bronze casting, too, was becoming increasingly efficient. Yet, the sheer scale of a monument like this speaks to an extraordinary amount of labor. Consider the many hands involved, from the quarry workers extracting the raw stone to the artisans meticulously carving each block and casting the bronze figure. Each step in its creation reflects specific skills and traditions, rooted in histories of craft and fine art. This monument thus embodies a complex interplay of materials, processes, and social context, challenging traditional notions of both fine art and craft.