Fondazione Musei Senesi - Garibaldi and Italian condottieri

Today’s Military and War Collection comes from Fondazione Musei Senesi in Siena, Italy and can be found here.

16thC “Baptism of Constantine” – Constantine was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 and defeated Maxentius and Licinius during Roman civil wars.  He spent a considerable amount of time fighting and defeating various barbarian tribes.

1886 Victor Emmanuel II Meeting Giuseppe Garibaldi at Teano – Garibaldi lived from 1807 to 1882 and was instrumental in creating the Italian nation.  He was an active military leader, operating in both South America and Italy.  Victor Emmanuel II was King of Italy, the first king of a united Italy since the 6^th century.   The painting celebrates the famous meeting of the two men on October 26, 1860 at Teano where Garibaldi passed control of South Italy to Emmanuel and hailed him as King of Italy despite his own republican leanings.

 Garibaldi

{{PD-1923}} – published before 1923 and public domain in the US.

16^th C Public Virtues of Greek and Roman Heroes

1328, Guidoriccio da Fogliano, condottieri – This painting depicts the condotierre conquering the castles of Montemassi and Sassoforte in 1328.  Montemassi was first noted in 1076 and is the most famous monument in the Italian territory of Roccastrada.  Sassoforte was taken in 1328, sold to Siena soon after and then partially torn down.

 16th Century woodcut of an Italian condottieri

13th C Tournament and Hunting Scenes – A scene of knights charging each other on horseback wielding swords.

 

1886 Battle of San Martino – Better known as the Battle of Solferino and San Martino.  This June 24, 1859 battle served to end the Second War of Independence in Italy.  It was fought between the French united with Sardinia against the Austrians.  About 300,000 men were involved and is said to be the last major battle in world history where all armies were under the personal command of their respective monarchs.  The bloody aftermath of the battle also inspired Swiss Henri Dunant to begin work that led to eventual development of the Geneva Conventions and the International Red Cross.