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Statue of John of Austria

The Statue of John of Austria is a monumental bronze sculpture, originally gilded, by architect and sculptor Andrea Calamech. It was commissioned by the Senate of Messina in 1571 to honor John of Austria, victor of the Battle of Lepanto, and was dedicated in 1572. The figure holds a three-pronged baton symbolizing command of the triple alliance of Philip II, the Pope, and the Republic of Venice, and stands with a foot on the severed head of a defeated Turk. The pedestal features bronze plaques showing the fleet, the battle, and the victorious return to Messina. The monument has been moved several times and is now in Messina; a copy was erected in Regensburg in 1978.

Bronze statue of John of Austria in historical armor on a tall stone pedestal, with one arm extended and a sword in the other hand.
John of Austria bronze statue on an ornate pedestal in Piazza Catalani.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
John of Austria monument on a tall ornate pedestal in a public square, with buildings and balconies in the background.
The John of Austria monument stands on an elaborate pedestal in a square surrounded by nearby buildings.
© Calamech, Andrea (Italian sculptor, architect, 1524-1589) (artist) · Public domain
The John of Austria monument stands on an ornate pedestal in a public square, surrounded by a low decorative fence and garden.
The John of Austria monument in Messina, shown in a sepia-toned photograph with surrounding buildings and a nearby café sign.
© Mauro Ledru · CC0
John of Austria statue on a tall pedestal amid rubble beside a damaged building
The statue of John of Austria stands amid the ruins in Messina after the earthquake.
· Public domain
The statue of John of Austria stands on a tall pedestal amid earthquake rubble in a devastated square, with several people nearby.
John of Austria stands above the ruins in Messina’s destroyed Piazza dell’Annunziata.
© Rijksmuseum · CC0

Identification

TitleStatue of John of Austria
TypeMonumental bronze statue
SubjectDon John of Austria (John of Austria, Juan d'Autriche, Don Juan d'Autriche)
Alternative titleStatue of Don Juan of Austria; Don Giovanni d'Austria

Historical context

CommemorationErected in memory of the victory at the Battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571

Creator

ArtistAndrea Calamech
Artist roleSculptor and architect
Artist originCarrara
TrainingTrained in the Florentine workshop of Bartolomeo Ammannati

Discovery and provenance

Purpose of commissionTo honor the victor of the Battle of Lepanto
ReplicaCopy erected in Zieroldsplatz, Regensburg, in 1978 on the fourth centenary of Don John of Austria's death; erected in his birthplace
Commissioned byThe Senate of Messina
Commission date1571

History and restoration

Erected1572
RelocationMoved in 1853; after the destruction of the 1908 Messina earthquake and subsequent urban restructuring, moved again in 1928 to its current site
RestorationRestored after the cannon-shot damage; a sword replaced an earlier large sword during the 1852 restorations, but the sword was lost again around the 1950s
DamageDamaged by cannon fire during the anti-Spanish revolt of 1674–1678, by the earthquake of 1783, and in the Sicilian revolution of 1848
Created1573

Physical characteristics

Pedestal plaquesInscription and three bronze bas-reliefs
MaterialBronze, originally gilded
BaseMarble pedestal with four bronze plaques
Decorative featuresVery fine decorations

Appearance

ArmorComplete Spanish armor
Figure attributeThree-pronged command baton
PoseLeft foot on the severed head of a defeated Turk
DepictionFaithfully rendered young face
Depicted ageAbout twenty-four years old

Iconography and meaning

Defeated figureGenerally considered to be Müezzinzade Ali Pasha
Baton symbolismReference to the triple alliance of Philip II, Pope Pius V, and the Republic of Venice against the Turks
First bas-reliefDeployment of the fleet, with Don John’s flagship at the center
Second bas-reliefThe battle, with close combats between ships and Turkish boats already fleeing
Third bas-reliefThe victorious fleet’s return to Messina, with a bird’s-eye view of the 16th-century city
Inscription contentCommemorates the anti-Turkish league, the departure from Messina, the date of the battle and return, the number of ships, and the names of the senators of the time

Location and ownership

Original locationBetween the Royal Palace and the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Messina
Later locationIn front of the Church of Santissima Annunziata dei Teatini in Corso Cavour, Messina
Current locationPiazza Catalani, at the end of Via Cesare Battisti, Messina, Italy

Significance

Art historical评价William Stirling-Maxwell called it 'one of the most effective monuments of sixteenth-century art'

Other

NicknameStatua del chitarrista ('guitarist statue')
Nickname explanationSo called because of the shadow it casts on the building behind it