For the fourth consecutive year, the ancient tradition of the crowning of the Marzocco has come back to life in Florence, which historically takes place four days before the feast of the patron saint San Giovanni. An important ceremony brought back to life by the Municipality of Florence on the initiative of the San Giovanni Battista Society, in collaboration with the Historical Procession of the Florentine Republic and the Calcio Storico Fiorentino and the Paolo Penko Goldsmith’s Shop.
Bottega Penko was responsible for the creation of the Crown, designed for the occasion to celebrate the Patron Saint of Florence. Precious fretwork, chiselling and burin engravings, enriched with translucent crimson red enamel alternating with white enamel, characterize this masterpiece of goldsmith’s art. Pearls, garnets, crystals of various cuts and shapes and a lapis lazuli were used to “jewel”, in the ancient manner, the crown intended to decorate the head of the Marzocco.
It was the deputy mayor Alessia Bettini who placed the beautiful crown on the head of the Lion, symbol of Florentine power. The ceremonial has as its historical basis what took place during the same celebrations in the 16th century. The Historical Procession of the Florentine Republic moved from Palagio di Parte Guelfa to reach Piazza della Signoria where it joined the delegation of the Society of San Giovanni Battista, holder of the Crown.
(photo Edoardo Argenio)
On this occasion, the actor and artist Gianmaria Vassallo and Silvia Daddi, owner of “Mollica’s”, were proclaimed winners of the third edition of the Corona del Marzocco Award. The presentation of the award, established by the Society of San Giovanni Battista and created by the Paolo Penko goldsmith’s shop, was held on the Arengario of Palazzo Vecchio.
The two young people, awarded for their role in successfully communicating and describing Tuscany, its culture, traditions and curiosities through the world of social media, were given a miniature reproduction of the Corona del Marzocco which, according to the ancient tradition Florentine, is placed on the head of the Marzocco in Piazza della Signoria on the occasion of the celebrations of San Giovanni Battista.
The work, faithful to the original in every detail, is made of golden alloy with the ancient technique of lost wax casting and finished by hand. As in the original, you can read the motto of the novelist Sacchetti, “I bring the crown for the worthy homeland so that everyone can maintain freedom”. The base, made of wood by the historic Falegnameria Biagioni, is hand painted by Francesco Forconi, aka Skim, a contemporary Florentine artist and painter. Skim painted the base in his “Harmonic Chaos” style in midnight blue, using the main elements of the Baptistery and the city of Florence, which cradle the work.
The Crown of Marzocco
The crown, with a diameter of 26 cm, is made of golden brass and consists of an important band 15 cm high. Divided into six orders, it is decorated with the penkato technique, alternating with very fine chiselling and stippling. It is decorated with five imposing buttoned lilies, finely chiselled 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 port for the worthy homeland so that each Mantegna has 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 St. 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.
Source: Press office
