Marzocco crowned among the fascinated gazes of Florentines and tourists, thus Florence relives the ancient tradition recovered from Society of Saint John the Baptist and accompanied to Corona del Marzocco Award, dedicated to the young generations who tell the story of Florence and Tuscany in the world. The recipients of the award were Silvia Daddiowner, together with her husband Mattia Maracci, of Mollica’s and the actor Gianmaria Vassallo.
The Historical Procession of the Florentine Republic, led by the director Filippo Giovannelli, leaves the Palagio di Parte Guelfa with the crown, created by the workshop of the Master Goldsmith Paolo Penko, which in Piazza della Signoria is placed on the head of the Marzocco by the deputy mayor, Alessia Bettini, and by the president of the Society of St. John the Baptist, Claudio Bini.
“The tradition that we have recovered together with the Municipality of Florence – explains Claudio Bini – celebrates the Marzocco, symbol of civil power but also icon of the ancient pagan rite. The Society of St. John has been doing this since 1796, recovering and passing on traditions to new generations. This is why we reward two young witnesses who, with their work and their art, spread the values and history of Florence and Tuscany throughout the world. We take this opportunity to invite all young people to join our organization as volunteers on the occasion of Fires of San Giovanni and as members, remembering that the membership fee is reduced up to the age of 27″.
On the Arengario of Palazzo Vecchio rises Silvia Daddiowner of the food truck together with her husband Mattia Maracci Mollica’s who from the industrial area of Follonica, thanks to his passion for Tuscan gastronomy and the skilful use of social media, has become famous throughout Italy. “I thank my family who passed on to me the values of Tuscany and that irony that always makes us play down everything. We Tuscans have a social function, let’s preserve ourselves. I am originally from Turbone, a small hamlet of Montelupo Fiorentino, and for this reason being here is an immense honor”.
Also awarded in Piazza della Signoria Gianmaria Vassallo, film and theater actor, interpreter of Dante and artistic heir of Odoardo Spadaro, who dedicates the award to the memory of the journalist Fabrizio Borghini. “Florence was the first city in the world to welcome artists and make art a profession. We must be proud of this record, we have lived on art and we will continue to live on art.”
#IoStoCoiFochi is the hashtag used on social media by the San Giovanni Battista Society to promote the campaign in support of the event that characterizes the celebrations of the Patron Saint, the fireworks display, new, exciting and unique every year, which lights up the night of June 24th.
The Marzocco. The standing lion is a symbol of popular power. The most famous representation is that of Donatello, a lion holding with his right paw a shield representing the red lily on a white background, the Guelph symbol of the city, positioned on the Arengario of Palazzo Vecchio and replaced in 1812 with a copy.
Tradition. The coronation took place four days before and four days after the day of St. John, and during that period debtors, those who had ceased or gone bankrupt, bandits and those convicted of any crime were not prosecutable. “I bring a crown for a worthy homeland, so that each person can wear a golden and jeweled crown and be crowned for the feasts of our Protector St. John the Baptist” this is the couplet, composed by Messer Francesco Sacchetti, still reported today on the crown band.
The Crown of Marzocco. It is made of gilded brass and consists of an important band divided into six orders, decorated with the penkato technique, alternating with very fine chiselling and dotting. It features five imposing buttoned lilies, finely chiseled on both sides and enamelled in translucent crimson red with precious gold highlights. Each lily is embellished with a faceted red crystal with an “arm of a cross” cut. The lilies alternate with five groups of three drop-shaped baroque pearls, supported by an acanthus leaf element with spirals and volutes; to hold each pearl, a small enamelled element. In the center of the crown stands the head of Donatello’s Marzocco wearing the Grand Ducal Crown of Cosimo I de’ Medici. Two Burmese rubies are set in his eyes; on its sides there are two Penko logos with a faceted white stone in the center.
On the same register as the Marzocco, 19 quadrilobed decorative elements of various shapes are arranged, chiseled and engraved with a burin, and embellished with garnets, pearls, crystals and settings decorated with crimson and white enamel. Below is the motto “COrona is a port for the worthy homeland so that everyone can maintain freedom”, as reported by the novelist Franco Sacchetti. The motto is engraved in the “Rotunda” font, inspired by the one used by the Florentine humanist Poggio Bracciolini.
Under the Marzocco’s mane is a lapis lazuli cabochon, with the symbol of the Society of Saint John the Baptist in the center. On the same band there are 28 penkati settings which alternate six spherical pink pearls with 22 red cabochon stones surrounded by small white enamel decorations. On the back of the crown, Saint John the Baptist, as he is represented on the ancient Florin of Florence from 1252.
The Corona del Marzocco Award. The reproduction of the Corona del Marzocco, faithful to the original in every detail, is made of golden alloy with the ancient technique of lost wax casting and finished by hand. The base, made of wood by the historic Falegnameria Biagioni, is hand painted by Francesco Forconi, aka Skim, a contemporary Florentine painter known for his harmonious chaos, this time expressed in green, the Color of the Historic Football of the San Giovanni District.
