Lucca (IT), Victory Light [extant] - 1928
The
inscription (1928) is found atop the Victory Light (‘Faro della Vittoria’) in
the Garden of Remembrance (Piazzale Giuseppe Verdi). The monument was
inaugurated on 4 November 1928, 10 years after the victory in First World War.
Text’s author is unknown.
The
inscription is carved in bas-relief using Roman square capitals. Each word is
placed on a different side of the upper part of the obelisk. The obelisk also
features angular fasces and tricoloured glass, crowned by a
star, a symbol of Italy. The base is adorned with bas-reliefs of swords,
helmets, and oak and laurel leaves.
The
text presents the victory in the Great War as a renewal of Rome’s glorious
military heritage, suggesting the creation of a new empire under Fascism. Such
ideas widely were widespread during the war and were promoted by the
Nationalist Italian Association and intellectuals such as Gabriele D’Annunzio
(1863–1938). They later became integral to Fascist ideology and propaganda.
The
monument was created by the sculptor Francesco Petroni (1877–1960), born in
Lucca. In front of it stands an altar adorned with Savoy coats of arms, lions’
heads, oak and laurel leaves. It supports a rock from the Karst region, a site
where Italian troops fought many battles, known as the Twelve Battles of the
Isonzo, and suffered significant losses during the war.
Antonino Nastasi
Victory
light and the altar in front of it in Lucca, Garden of Remembrance, Piazzale
Giuseppe Verdi (© S. Giusti)
Inscription on the Victory light, Lucca, side 1 (© S. Giusti)
Inscription
on the Victory light, Lucca, side 2 (© S. Giusti)
Inscription on the Victory light, Lucca, side 3 (© S. Giusti)
Inscription on the Victory light, Lucca, side 4 (© S. Giusti)