Porcellino, Bronze fountain in Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, Florence, Italy
Porcellino is a life-sized bronze boar positioned on an octagonal pedestal adorned with marsh vegetation and animal figures. The work displays detailed craftsmanship that brings both the creature and its naturalistic setting to life.
Pietro Tacca created this bronze sculpture in 1633 when commissioned by Cosimo II de Medici, drawing inspiration from an ancient Roman marble version. Over time it became a defining feature of the marketplace loggia.
Visitors touch the boar's snout and drop coins into its mouth as a gesture believed to bring good fortune and promise a return to Florence. This ritual has become woven into the daily rhythm of the marketplace.
The work sits in Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, nestled between Piazza della Repubblica and Ponte Vecchio amid leather stalls and souvenir vendors. The busy surroundings make it a natural stopping point while exploring the city center.
The octagonal base features forty distinct marsh animal species rendered in precise detail, from serpents to snails. These intricate naturalistic carvings often escape visitors' notice as attention focuses on the boar itself.
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