Statue of Neptune

Name: Statue of Naptune

Date: 1563-1565

Artist: Bartolomeo Ammannati

Location: Piazza della Signoria , Firenze, Italy

Approximate Dimensions: unknown

Medium: marble

Sources of info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_della_Signoria

Picture taken by: Kate Tricarico

Significance of the work:

In Roman mythology, Neptune was an early Italian water deity who became identified with the Greek god Poseidon after about 400 B.C. Unlike Poseidon, who appeared in many Greek myths and legends, Neptune played a relatively minor role in Roman mythology. Like Poseidon, in ancient Roman art Neptune is generally shown holding a trident, a traditional weapon of fishermen in the Mediterranean region. Neptune had a temple in the Circus Flaminius at Rome; one of its features was a sculptured group of marine deities headed by Thetis. Strangely, though a god of the sea Neptune was actually far more worshipped for his role as the god of horses and horseracing than for marine exploits. The famous arena, the Circus Flaminius, had a temple sanctuary dedicated to the god where gamblers and followers of Neptune would go to offer up their prayers. In this role Neptune was known as Neptune Equester, the Roman word equester relating to horses and horseracing.

This statue of Neptune found in Florence is merely a reproduction of the original which now resides in the National Museum. Ammanati was commissioned to create this sculpture for the wedding of Francesco de' Medici to the grand duchess Johanna of Austria in 1565. The face of Neptune is carved in the likeness of Francesco’s father, Cosimo de’ Medici, symbolizing the extent of Medici power in Florence at the time. The pedestal on which Neptune stands is decorated with interpretations of the Greek sea monsters named Scylla and Charybdis. The people of Florence, however, said that the statue of Neptune looked like a great white giant and that it was a waste of marble. Despite the adversity, Ammannati completed the statue and it can be seen in the National Museum today.