Thursday 12 January 2012

Sydney Hospital, Il Porcellino

Il Porcellino is a bronze sculpture and fountain which sits outside the North Wing of 
Sydney Hospital, along Macquarie Street. The original Il Porcellino is on display in the Museo Bardini in Florence, Italy. A copy also stands in the Mercato Nuovo or Straw Market, in that city. This copy was presented to the hospital in 1968 by the Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani in memory of her father and brother, both renowned surgeons at the hospital. The legend of rubbing the snout of Il Porcellino for good luck, provides a polished sheen.

32 comments:

  1. Now did you rub the snout Jim ? - a lovely sculpture.

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  2. That snout does look nicely polished, so I hope it was good luck for everyone!

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  3. The pig's snout looks as if it is golden! Great view of the sculpture and the hospital's interesting facade in the background!

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  4. Everyone must feel a bit better with some luck heading into a hospital!

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  5. There must be a lot of lucky people walking around, judging from how shiny the snout is :-) Nice shot!

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  6. Always a favourite, particularly when they put wings on it for Art and About one year.

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  7. Great photo of the "piglet", Jim. there is an almost identical copy outside the central market of Florence, with exactly the same sheen on his snout! :-)

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  8. Thanks, Nick. I've seen that one in Florence too. I might just add something about that to my post.

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  9. NIce pig - but seems an odd thing at a hospital. Except the good luck charm is good I guess.

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  10. Do you remember the Ship Rena that went aground in our water three months ago? It has split into two, almost sunk completely and littering the sea and beach with containers and food stuff.

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  11. Ann, yes we see stories about it on the news in Australia.

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  12. That's a pretty unusual statue, for sure. Looks like a lot of people are looking for good luck!

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  13. I did a double take because I have seen this sculpture in Florence, also with a shiny nose. When I was there, pretty girls kept posing next to it. I stood there for a while pretending to take pictures, just because I liked the pretty girls.

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  14. Pat, next time I walk past there on my lunch break, I'll do that. :)

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  15. Jim I remember being amazed when I stumbled on this sculpture in Sydney a couple of years ago. I was amazed because I remember admiring the one in Florence and commenting that it was identical. There is also a corresponding sculpture at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight in England which I photographed in 2008. Who would have thought that Sydney, Florence and London shared a common boar.

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  16. PS.. Osborne House on the Isle of Wight was Queen Victoria's retreat.

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  17. i like the pose of Il Porcellino, a rather alluring pose...no wonder people rub his snout.;p

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  18. A quite unique sculpture to be associated with a hospital but if rubbing its snout brings a patient luck, I say "do it!"

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  19. Joe, that's very interesting. It makes me wonder whether there are any other copies around the world.

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  20. If I had to go to the hospital, I would like to go here. The entrance is so pretty. Love the way people rub the nose. I would REALLY rub it!!! Genie

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  21. Perhaps we could have an Il Porcino spotting competition for photo bloggers around the world?

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  22. What a whimsical statue! So adorable.

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  23. Nice shot, interesting about people rubbing the nose for good luck.

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  24. This is very cool! Just the perfect angle -

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  25. I love that they put a little block there for people to stand on.

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  26. A very nice sculpture that will make history to Australia! I wish to rub this structure to get some luck.

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