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

World War I, Irredentism, bronze casket. base cm 32.50 x 24.50 - height cm 30.00 - urn cm 26.50 x 15.50 x 10.00 An imposing casket cast in bronze and lined with fine embroidered silk. It was commissioned to house the personal effects of a fallen soldier in the Great War. It is characterised by fine and at the same time detailed workmanship. 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 present diverse and complex compositions inspired by classical Roman art. The lateral bas-reliefs feature two eagles within laurel wreaths. The lion's paws, a symbol of strength and nobility, support the casket, 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. Unique object of great beauty.