Debate in Italy
Dispute over statues in Padua: is there no room for a woman between all the men?
The Prato della Valle in Padua with its statues that only show men
© Manuel Romano / Picture Alliance
In the large piazza of the northern Italian city of Padua there are only statues of men. That should change, demand two city councilors. They want to put up a statue of the philosopher Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia. But there is protest against it.
The Prato della Valle in Padua is an imposing piazza. The large public square in the northern Italian city, inaugurated in 1776, is adorned with a canal and numerous statues. There are 78 in total. These include great personalities such as the polymath Galileo Galilei and the poet Francesco Petrarca. What all statues have in common: Each one of them shows a man. That should change. At least if some in town have their way.
Two left city councilors, Margherita Colonnello and Simone Pillitteri, have proposed to incorporate the statue of a woman. There would be space for it, a few pedestals in the piazza are empty. Pillitteri told the New York Times that the statues on Prato della Valle were a symbol of historical male supremacy. The vacancies are an unmistakable reminder that women are underrepresented here and elsewhere. Colonnello told the newspaper that the point was not to falsify or destroy the monument, but to add something new.
There is already an idea of which woman should be honored with a statue at the Prato della Valle in the future: Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia. She was the first woman in the world to receive a doctorate. That was in 1678. Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia had received her PhD in philosophy in Padua. In addition to historical significance, there is also a connection to the city. Simone Pillitteri speaks of a “sign for the future”. Far from all of them see it that way.
A statue of the philosopher already stands on the grounds of the University of Padua
The New York Times quotes local politician and art historian David Tramarin as saying: “Like it or not, Prato della Valle is an expression of the past.” We should learn from the past instead of changing it. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reports on petitions that are put up and passed around. The debate about who is honored in public space and which statues are allowed to stand where or who should be erected hits a nerve and is currently being conducted in many countries. In the case of Padua, not even a man’s head would have to roll to appreciate a woman’s in the future.
However, according to the “Süddeutscher Zeitung”, there is criticism not only of the idea as a whole, but also of the choice of Cornaro Piscopia, because she is honored with a statue on the premises of the University of Padua. The application for the new statue on Prato della Valle should be dealt with at the end of this month. For the time being, the 78 stone men will stay among themselves on the large square.
Sources: “New York Times”, “Southgerman newspaper”