Il Porcellino - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
S 33° 52.073 E 151° 12.742
56H E 334650 N 6251054
Il Porcellino, a copy of a bronze fountain of a Florentine boar, was given to the Sydney Hospital in 1968 by Clarissa Torrigani of Florence, Italy, as a link of friendship between Italy and Australia.
Waymark Code: WM5ZCQ
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 03/06/2009
Views: 25
Three plaques on the base of the bronze fountain read as follows:
Il Porcellino. When you rub my nose and make a wish your donation supports research, education, and development at Sydney hospital. Australia's First Hospital.
-1968. This wild boar fountain of good luck is a donation from Clarissa Torrigani in memory of her father Dr. Thomas and het brother Dr. Piero Fiaschi. 'Porcellino' collects money for the Sydney hospital for which both worked as hon. surgons.
-- This wild boar has come from Florence to Sydney as a link of friendship between Italy and Australia in memory of Brigadier General Thomas Fiaschi who loved and served so gallantly for both countries.
The following additional information is from the Public Art Around the World website:
Public Art: Il Porcellino (Little Pig)
Sculptor: Copy of Pietro Tacca's (1547) statue in a 17th century fountain in Marketo Nuovo, Florence. One of 5 copies cast by the Florence foundry, Fonderia Ferdinando Marinelli.
Description: Brass statue of a boar with water slowly pouring from its mouth into a basin. The bronze basin is decorated with frogs, snails and snakes.
Location: Outside Sydney Hospital, Macquarie Street, Sydney, Australia.
Commissioned: Donated by Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani
History: Il Porcellino (The little pig) statue, which is located outside the Sydney Hospital, is a copy of a Pietro Tacca's wild boar statue in a 17th century fountain in Marketo Nuovo, Florence. The statue by Tacca was believed to be a copy of an ancient Greek marble boar sculpture. In 1962 five copies of Tacca's sculpture were cast by the Florence foundry, Fonderia Ferdinando Marinelli. One of the copies was donated to the Sydney Hospital by Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani in memory of her father and brother. Both had been renown surgeons at the hospital. Marchessa saved as hard as she could for seven years to purchase Il Porcellino. The Little Pig is a much loved icon to the residents and visitors of Sydney and you can often see people giving it's snout a good rub for good luck. The other copies of Il Porcellino can be found in Califorinia, Florence, Canada (University of Waterloo) and British Colombia (Butchart Gardens, Victoria).
Special Powers: It is believed that if you rub the boar's snout he will bring you good luck.
Crazy Facts: The wild boar even has special outfits which he wears on special occassions to help raise money for the hospital.