Apennine Colossus, Stone sculpture in Pratolino Park, Vaglia, Italy.
The Apennine Colossus is a 14-meter (46-foot) stone sculpture in Villa di Pratolino near Vaglia, showing a crouching figure above a pond. The body is built from tufa and volcanic rock covered with moss and plants, appearing as part of the surrounding hillside landscape.
Giambologna created the monument between 1579 and 1580 under commission from Francesco de Medici for the Medici villa park. The work followed experiments with artificial grottoes and automata that were fashionable in Florentine gardens at that time.
The figure wears a long beard of stone stalactites that flows like frozen water over its chest and knees, reinforcing the bond between human shape and mountain terrain. One hand reaches into the pool before it, as if the giant had risen from the water or were about to sink back in.
Access is through Pratolino Park, open on weekdays from morning to afternoon and requiring a short walk from the entrance. A path circles the pond and allows views of the work from several angles.
The interior holds three levels of chambers and grottoes connected by a network of pipes. Originally, water channels made the eyes and mouth of the figure flow, so the giant seemed to weep or breathe.
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