Monopoli's Contentious Rubenesque Statue
- Editor OGN Daily
- May 1, 2023
- 2 min read
A statue of a mermaid with large breasts and a generous bottom has caused a bit of a stir in Italy, with critics saying it is too sexual to be on public display. But should it be celebrated as an acceptable portrait of modern voluptuous shapes? A bit like in the times of Rubens when such female shapes were revered. What do you think?
A contentious statue has been unveiled in the boutique resort town of Monopoli in Puglia, a region in Italy’s far south. With its large buttocks and pneumatic breasts, the voluptuous sculpture is - some would say -a reasonable depiction of the modern female form.
The Italian statue has “two silicone t--s that would make a plastic surgeon blush”, Tiziana Schiavarelli, a local actress, wrote on Facebook. “It has a huge a--e that you’d never see on a mermaid - at least not one that I have ever seen.” Really? Does that matter?
People in the town were “perplexed” by the statue, she said, adding: “Who knows - it might become a tourist attraction.” Especially if you want a taste of what Capri and St Tropez were like in the 1950s, but for a smidgeon of the price, Monopoli is the spot. (Best place to stay? See Vita Brevis Travel)
The statue was made by students from a local art school and was defended by the headmaster, Adolfo Marciano.
The buxom mermaid “should be interpreted as a homage to women who are beautiful and curvy. We’ve had enough of seeing models with perfect bodies”, he said.
He added that he believed the work was “a representation of reality, in this case of the female body”. No doubt the debate will rage on, but - hopefully - Monopoli's tourist trade will flourish.
