Sculptor D. Carli 1888
This monument was made in 1888 in memory of Tomaso Pellegrini, who has been a trader in jewels and has struck it rich in America. He died at the age of 70 and he left to the poor the sum of 10,000 lire, as written in the inscription. The most important aspect of this monument is the beneficiaries’ gratitude which has been represented in a very spectacular way and it is very suggestive, because of the plenty of characters, the wide range of poses and the attention to detail. A blind beggar receives alms by the character on the right, which represents Charity, who, at the same time, points to the donor’s statue rising high on a pedestal. Its pose seems to reveal its photographic origins: in fact the donor has been represented while he is lightly leaning on a pillar, a custom during a time in which people had to stand still for a long time, because of the long shooting times. On the right, a young girl sends kisses to the benefactor and, on the left of the pedestal, the deceased’s widow, Giovanna Rosa from Buenos Aires, is represented in a sculpture, whilst writing the epigraph. Close to her, a child lays a wreath.
mc