1930s Genoese Small Bronze Statue “che L’inse!”

A delightful lost-wax cast bronze statue, made for the Chamber of Commerce of Genoa, as indicated by the plaque, to commemorate a famous heroic act in Genoese history. On the front, a graffito reads “Che l’inse!”, which evokes a significant episode that occurred on December 5, 1746, when the Austro-Habsburg troops occupied Genoa. On that occasion, a young boy named Giovanni Battista Perasso, known as “figgeu” or “Balilla,” threw a stone at the enemy forces, exclaiming “Che l’inse?”, or “Do you want me to start?”, alluding to the beginning of the resistance and the war. The sculpture in fact portrays a modestly dressed young man, intent on throwing the stone he holds in his right hand. It is placed on a pink marble base, and represents a work rich in meaning and history, capable of elegantly enriching any environment. The foundry brand is also present, which is partially legible and attributable to a Genoese foundry, probably active in the early twentieth century (around 1930).

Measurements: H x W x D 27 x 25 x 11cm