87 - World War I, Irredentism, bronze casket. base 32.50 x 24.50 cm - height 30.00 cm - urn 26.50 x 15.50 x 10.00 cm

World War I, Irredentism, bronze casket. base 32.50 x 24.50 cm - height 30.00 cm - urn 26.50 x 15.50 x 10.00 cm An imposing casket cast in bronze and lined with fine embroidered silk. It was commissioned to hold the personal effects of a soldier who fell in World War I. It is characterized by fine and highly detailed craftsmanship. The lid is surmounted by a roaring lion holding the Savoy shield in one paw, while in the other—with the chain broken—it symbolically refers to the unredeemed lands whose coats of arms stand out in the four corners: Trento, Trieste, Gorizia, and Dalmatia. The two large frontal bas-reliefs feature diverse and complex compositions inspired by classical Roman art. The side bas-reliefs depict two eagles within laurel wreaths. The lion’s paws—a symbol of strength and nobility—support the casket, which is surmounted by four sentinel masks. The object was cast by the Paolo Girola Foundry in Milan based on models by the artist Lorenzo Rosolena, whose signature appears on the lid near the lion. The caster’s signature is on the inside. A unique object of great beauty.