Utilizați butonul de Translate din dreapta pagini pentru traducere.
On March 18, the Italian Mint issued a new coin in the "Fountains of Italy" series. The coin, minted in gold and with a face value of 10 euros, pays tribute to the Fountain of the Four Rivers, a grand Baroque masterpiece located in the center of Rome's Piazza Navona.
Fountain of the Four Rivers
The Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), designed by the famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651, was commissioned by Pope Innocent X, and has become a symbol of the city's artistic splendor.
The fountain consists of a large Egyptian obelisk from the time of Domitian, which stands at the center of a rocky structure, surrounded by four imposing figures representing the main rivers of the four continents known in the 17th century: the Nile (Africa), the Danube (Europe), the Ganges (Asia), and the Río de la Plata (America). Each of these realistically sculpted figures symbolizes not only world geography but also the reach of the Catholic Church.
The Nile is depicted with its head covered by a cloth, alluding to the ignorance of its sources at the time; the Danube, the closest river to Rome, touches the papal coat of arms in a sign of submission; the Ganges holds an oar, alluding to its navigability; and the Río de la Plata is depicted with a sack of silver coins, alluding to the silver color of its waters as well as the wealth of the New World. In addition to the human figures, the fountain is also decorated with animals and natural elements that reinforce the representation of the wild and exotic nature of each region.
Bernini's sculptural composition stands out for its expressiveness and drama, hallmarks of Baroque art. The arrangement of the figures around the obelisk creates a sense of movement and theatricality that captures the viewer's attention from any angle of the square.
The obverse of the coin features a central image of the Fountain of the Four Rivers, with sculptures of the Danube on the left and the Ganges on the right, separated by the central obelisk. Around the edge of the composition is the inscription of the issuing country, "REPUBBLICA ITALIANA," divided by geometric motifs. Below the fountain is the signature of the coin's designer, "U. PERNAZZA" (Uliana Pernazza).
On the other hand, the reverse of the coin again presents an image of the Fountain of the Four Rivers, where the statue of the Nile is shown on the left, and on the right, the statue of the River Plate, separated by the obelisk. At the top of the design is the semicircular inscription of the name of the fountain in Italian "FONTANA DEI QUATTRO FIUMI" next to "ROMA", and in the lower area of the composition are indicated: on the left, the year of issue "2025", the face value "10 EURO" and on the right the letter "R", identifying the Mint of Rome.
Sursa: Youtube Utilizator: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
Technical characteristics
Country: Italy
Year: 2025
Face value: 10€
Metal: 900 Gold
Design: Uliana Pernazza
Weight: 3 g
Diameter: 13.85 mm
Quality: Proof
Print: 1,500
Sursa informațiilor aici.
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu