Measuring about 35 feet tall, it’s arguably the most spectacular feature of the gardens of Villa Medici at Pratolino, now part of Villa Demidoff, located about 7 miles north of Florence, Italy. A personification of the Apennine mountain ranges, it’s sculpted as though on that minimal margin between landscape and man, its smooth skin emerging out of the rough terrain or metamorphosing back into a mountain. He even has stalactites for a shaggy beard.
This colossal sculpture recalls the figure of Atlas in Virgil’s Aeneid, and also the architect Dinocrates’ proposal to shape Mount Athos into a man in honor of Alexander the Great.
Giovanni Bologna, Appennino, 1579
The Appennino in 1911.
With seemingly all the might of his hand, he squeezes the head of a monstrous beast, which spills a cascade of water out of its hell-mouth and into a fish pond.
Of course, the Appennino isn’t just a sculpture. He’s also a building.
Appennino sliced and split.
Inside you will find a network of grottoes, their walls studded with shells, corals, pearls and crystals, and painted with frescoes of muscled men mining precious ores. In this way, Appennino is both mountains and abysses. You enter not only the belly of a garden giant but also down into the belly of the earth. There were also two working fountains, one of which portrayed Thetis, and located in his head is a chamber for a small orchestra.
Section of Appennino. Illustration by P. van der Ree.
There’s also some sort of fireplace in the head. When lit, smoke would billow out of Appennino’s nose.
Location: Vaglia, Tuscany, Italy
Source: pruned.blogspot.com
Is it still accesable to humans? Are there vids of the interiors?
Just amazing…amazing and beautiful.
When was this made? How long did it take to create this? It is magnificent.
My wife and I went to Italy in July of 2015 and it was on my list of three things to see before getting on the plane to come home . Totally worth the scary drive to get there. It was built in 1581 for some rulers mistress who later became his wife. She wasn’t from that country so wasn’t well liked. Upon the rulers death she died the next day. I read they just recently dug her up and found out she was poisoned. Can’t go inside anymore but a life accomplishment to see none the less. Totally cool.
Mitch
Thanks for more info. It’s so amazing and yet the article gave little information.
Thanks Debbie, I wasn’t sure anyone would ever read my comment but like people say, “if it helps even one person then it’s worth it”.
Make that at least two people. 🙂
Make that more, and presumably counting. It’s late December 2020 now. I will enjoy Googling him and getting lost in a labyrinthine rabbit hole of interesting works. Thank you so much !
Wow!, Three people. That’s almost like a posse. Have fun Hildagarden, i found it interesting that almost nobody i spoke to about it in Italy had the slightest idea what i was talking about. It’s buried in this odd little park just north of Florence where i can assure you that if you go there, you will have the place to yourself.