The Wolfson Collection
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In the entrance hall of the Wolfsoniana the four statues by the
Piedmontese sculptor Giuseppe Carnevale, portraying the King Vittorio
Emanuele II, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Camillo Benso Count of Cavour and
Giuseppe Mazzini, introduce the visitor to this section devoted to the
Risorgimento which points out the cultural and esthetic spirit of the
Mitchell Wolfson Jr. Collection.
The two Chiavari chairs with the Savoy coat-of-arms, dated 1890 circa,
draw attention to the prominent interest in the decorative arts as well
as the elaborate carved frame of the embossed copper portrait of
Vittorio Emanuele II by Andrea Cariello – on loan from the Museo
del Risorgimento in Genoa – and the Staffordshire pottery figure
of Garibaldi, an hero who was particularly beloved in England,
especially after his renowned visit in 1864. The historic character of
the other works of art, related to the period of the Risorgimento,
documents the political courses of the period through the images and
the propaganda means of communication. Particularly the paintings Italy
gives the railroad to Genoa (1905 c.) by Luigi De Servi and The
entrance of Giommaria Angioj to Sassari (1877) by Giuseppe Sciuti refer
to two peculiar celebrative moments of the local history. The sketch
for the frescoes of Brignole railroad station celebrates the
construction of the national railroad as a contribution to the unity of
Italy, while the study for the decorations of the Palace of the
Province in Sassari commemorates the famous Sardinian national hero and
patriot who, inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution, led the
risings of 1794-96 against feudal privileges.
