Sculptuur De roof van Polyxena door Pyrrhus door Pio Fedi in de Loggia dei Lanzi te Florence, Italië 1866 - 1881

This photograph by Giacomo Brogi captures Pio Fedi's marble sculpture, "The Rape of Polyxena," displayed in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence. It depicts a scene from Greek mythology. Pyrrhus abducts Polyxena. The sculpture, set in the open-air gallery, speaks to Florence's artistic and political history. The Loggia dei Lanzi served as a public space for civic ceremonies and pronouncements, its sculptures reflecting the values and ambitions of the ruling Medici family and later governments. The choice of a classical subject connects Florence to the grandeur of ancient civilizations, reinforcing the city's self-image as a center of culture and power. The sculpture may also comment on the social structures of its time, particularly around gender and power dynamics. To fully understand such an artwork, we delve into archival records, political documents, and period writings to uncover its role within the complex interplay of art, power, and society.