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| Marforio - "Mars of the Forum" - This is one of Rome's "talking statues" (story below). |
| Our thanks to K. Lewis Strater of New York City, N.Y., for this submission of a photo which he took on his 10 day trip to Rome in June, 1982. He has asked us to identify it for him and we have... This statue, one of Romes "statue parlanti" (talking statues), is situated in the courtyard of the Capitoline Museum. It is a 2nd century sculpture and fountain of the mythological river god, Oceanus, but is more commonly known as Marforio. |
| In 1587 this statue, which, although you cannot tell from the picture, is at least 30 feet in length, was carefully transplanted to it's current location at the Museum from it's original location in the Roman Forum. It's name is likely an adaptation of the name of the pagan god Mars in conjunction with the term "forum", referring to it's place of origin. |
| This particular sculpture is also a part of a more modern yet long-running story. The term "pasquinade", used as both a noun and a verb, refers to the poetic or sing-song mocking or satirization of a person or group, usually done in some fashion publicly and, more specifically, usually represented or posted in writing. This term, which originated in Rome, likely refers directly to a 15th century Roman shop owner named Pasquino. Near the entrance of his shop, Pasquino had placed a delapidated statue upon which satirical poems and stories would be posted, most likely by Pasquino himself. And, as these posted "pasquidades" often referred to other individuals, a mechanism of retaliation was conceived, likely by targets of the original pasquinades. Corresponding 'counter-pasquinades' were posted to another of the town's noted and somewhat eroded statues in response. Which other statue? Why, the Marforio, of course! Hence, the posting of pasquinades has continued as a matter of tradition for centuries. |
