Description
The fountain, symbol of Florence, was commissioned by Ferdinando II dei Medici. The sculptor Pietro Tacca (1577-1640), built the original bronze casting ispiring him self to a Hellenistic marble donated by Pope Pius IV to Cosimo I. Tacca created the octagonal base, reproducing plants, insects and reptiles. The yield of naturalistic details like the fur of the animal reveals the extraordinary ability of Tacca, who was the best pupil of Giambologna, as a bronze sculto.
On August 1, 1640 the fountain was installed under the arches of the New Market (now also known as the straw market ).
In 1998 the City Council has decided to restore the fountain and replace it with a posthumous first edition, made from an original mould of the statue by Fonderia Marinelli di Firenze.
