At the end of celebrations for the 150 years of the unification of Italy, In the San Martino chartherhouse and museum, there will be presented an unpublished parade of 1860-1870s Italian Army's toy soldiers: bersaglieri (Italian infantry soldiers recognizable by their plumed hat) with the fanfare, horses artillerymen, cavalry in high uniform, a very detailed reconstruction of a whole paper army in miniature.
The aquarelle were made in the middle of 800 by Emanuele and Filippo Emilio Gin, father and son, belonging to a family of French origin, Gin de Grenville, watercolorists who moved to Naples in the early 800 animated by an authentic and common passion for the costume and the uniforms of the time. The watercolors series - exhibited for the first time at this Museum - is part of a collection of over 2000 figures - bought in 1923 for 13.000 liras - which enhanced further the collections of San Martino Museum.
The Piedmontese army which break in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies is formed by about 500 little moulded aquarelles: bersaglieri, lancers, corazzieri (carabinieres members of the presidential guard of honour) on horses and dreaded Voloire batteries, the historical Piedmontese artillery regiment which destroyed Gaeta's citadel. The toysoldiers were assigned to young princes of the Court and astonish the scholars of military costume for their refined and wealth of details miniature technique that characterize the uniforms of several corps. The extraordinariness of these aquarelles is determined by the wealth of details, brightess and the verydetailed characterization of soldiers and officers. Each toy soldier is a unique piece with its individual physiognomy: from the large battalion of bersaglieri to very elegant corazzieri of Humbert I, the special corps of Royal Guards.
The exposition will be open until 10th September 2012.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication edited by Arte'm.