Statue of Andrea Memmo

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This is a statue of Andrea Memmo, the visionary behind Prato della Valle square in Padova, Italy. Andrea Memmo (1729 - 1793) was an Italian writer, politician, and diplomat who served the Republic of Venice with distinction. Born to Pietro and Lucia Pisani, he was part of one of the esteemed apostolic families, renowned for their noble heritage in Venice. Prato della Valle is a massive elliptical square measuring 90,000 square meters in Padova, Italy. It stands as the largest square in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. Today, this expansive space boasts a lush green island at its center, known as l'Isola Memmia, surrounded by a serene canal flanked by two rings of majestic statues. Prior to 1635, the area now known as Prato della Valle was largely a barren expanse of partially swampy terrain situated just south of Padova's old city walls. In 1636, a group of prominent Venetian and Veneto notables funded the construction of a temporary yet lavishly appointed theater for mock battles on horseback. The musical entertainment preceding these events is credited as a precursor to Venice's first public opera performances, which commenced the following year. In 1767, the square, previously owned by the monks of Santa Giustina, became the public property of Padua. In 1775, Andrea Memmo, whose statue adorns the square, undertook a massive project to reclaim and redevelop the entire area. The ambitious plan, although never fully realized, is vividly captured in a renowned copper engraving by Francesco Piranesi from 1785. It appears that Memmo commissioned this work and others, showcasing them at the Palazzo Venezia, the headquarters of the Republic's Embassy in Rome, to entice influential figures to finance the construction of statues to adorn the square. The project was formally approved by Domenico Cerato, a professor of architecture at Vicenza and Padova. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Memmo