Il Porcellino

(Little Pig)

Public Art: Il Porcellino (Little Pig)

Sculptor: Copy of Pietro Tacca's (1547) statue in a 17th century fountain in Marketo Nuovo, Florence. One of 5 copies cast by the Florence foundry, Fonderia Ferdinando Marinelli.

Date: 1962

Description: Brass statue of a boar with water slowly pouring from its mouth into a basin. The bronze basin is decorated with frogs, snails and snakes.

Location: Outside Sydney Hospital, Macquarie Street, Sydney, Australia.

Commissioned: Donated by Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani

History: Il Porcellino (The little pig) statue, which is located outside the Sydney Hospital, is a copy of a Pietro Tacca's wild boar statue in a 17th century fountain in Marketo Nuovo, Florence. The statue by Tacca was believed to be a copy of an ancient Greek marble boar sculpture. In 1962 five copies of Tacca's sculpture were cast by the Florence foundry, Fonderia Ferdinando Marinelli. One of the copies was donated to the Sydney Hospital by Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani in memory of her father and brother. Both had been renown surgeons at the hospital. Marchessa saved as hard as she could for seven years to purchase Il Porcellino. The Little Pig is a much loved icon to the residents and visitors of Sydney and you can often see people giving it's snout a good rub for good luck.  The other copies of Il Porcellino can be found in Califorinia, Florence, Canada (University of Waterloo) and British Colombia (Butchart Gardens, Victoria).

Special Powers: It is believed that if you rub the boar's snout he will bring you good luck.

Crazy Facts: The wild boar even has special outfits which he wears on special occassions to help raise money for the hospital.

Links: www.sydneyvista.com