Vincenzo Bellini at The Borghese Garden, Italy

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This bust is situated in the gardens atop Pincian Hill, where Rome's first public park was unveiled. Romans and tourists alike stroll leisurely along shaded pathways and avenues that crisscross this 6.5-hectare area, lined with a multitude of marble busts scattered throughout. A few can also be found near the bridge connecting the gardens to Villa Borghese. They feature notable Italian personalities who distinguished themselves over 25 centuries in various fields: national heroes, monarchs, and statesmen; painters and sculptors; scientists and inventors; novelists and poets; historians and philosophers; a significant number of whom were patriots and insurrectionists. In February 1849, Pope Pius IX's government was ousted by the Roman Republic. To provide economic assistance to Rome's many unemployed artists, the new administration allocated funds and commissioned several sculptors to create 52 busts of distinguished Italian personalities for decoration in the Pincian Gardens. One such bust is Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini, an Italian opera composer known for his sweeping melodic lines, earning him the nickname "the Swan of Catania." Many years later, in 1898, Giuseppe Verdi praised the broad curves of Bellini's melody: "there are extremely long melodies as no-one else had ever made before." Much of what is known about Bellini's life and activities comes from surviving letters he wrote to his friend Francesco Florimo over their lifetimes. Other sources include correspondence saved by friends and business acquaintances. After initial success in Naples, most of Bellini's short life was spent outside Sicily and Naples. He lived and composed in Milan and Northern Italy, followed by a visit to London and ultimately his final masterpiece in Paris, 'I puritani.' Only nine months later, Bellini passed away in Puteaux, France at the age of 33. (Credit: Wikipedia, Andrea Pollet) This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. Scan the World aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)