Lion of Saint Mark with Motto in Botticino Marble, Serenissima, 19th Century

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Lion of Saint Mark with motto in Botticino marble - Serenissima - "Ti con nu, nu con ti" - 85 … Read more Lion of Saint Mark with motto in Botticino marble - Serenissima - "Ti con nu, nu con ti" - 85 x 85 cm - Venice Spectacular and unique high relief in Botticino marble, depicting the lion of Saint Mark with the very important motto "Ti con nu, nu con ti" carved on one side, referring to a significant speech given by Count Giuseppe Viscovich (Perasto, 1728 – Perasto, 1804). A magnificent depiction of the Serenissima, an original and exclusive work, the lion is depicted with an open book and a sword. Provenance: Venice, private collection. Giuseppe Viscovich was an Italian soldier, the last Venetian captain of Perasto (now in Montenegro), the last territory remaining loyal to the Serenissima. More than three months after the fall of the Venetian Republic to the French, the citizens of Perasto gathered in front of the city's Captain's Palace to bury the Venetian banner. Before the kneeling crowd, Captain Giuseppe Viscovich delivered a speech in the Slavic Serbo-Croatian language: the Perasto Oath, otherwise known as "Ti co nu, nu co ti" (in the Venetian translation). The expression "Ti con nu, nu con ti" was revived in 1919 by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio in his Letter to the Dalmatians, published in Venice, in which he urged Venetians and Dalmatians to rise up for the annexation of the former territories of the Venetian Republic to the Kingdom of Italy. It would later become the motto of the "Squadra (aerial) di San Marco" or "la Serenissima" (the Venetian Republic) under his command. The work is of sublime quality, with the marble's elegant and refined grain and patina. The dimensions are truly generous, well-proportioned, and of considerable weight. Perfect for hanging on a wall with the aid of some irons. This work is truly unique, a lot of great prestige and noble value. It is in excellent overall condition, intact. It will be shipped in a properly packaged wooden crate.

Measurements: - Width 85 cm - Length 85 cm - Maximum thickness 12 cm Weight: approximately 150 kg. See less