Capitoline Wolf Statue

The Capitoline Wolf statue has a long and rich history as an Italian cultural beacon. It is also a history riddled with inaccuracies. While the earliest reference of a statue recreating the mythological scene of a she-wolf nursing Rome’s twin founders Romulus and Remus dates back to 295 B.C., the now-famous incarnation of the statue is far younger. Originally thought to have been made by an Etruscan in the 5th century B.C., the bronze statue which now sits in the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome was dated in 2007 and determined to be from between the 11th and 12th centuries A.D.

Ever since its placement, the sculpture has been one of the most famous patriotic symbols associated with Italy. This greatly endeared it to Benito Mussolini, Italy’s fascist dictator during World War II. In the early 1930’s, Mussolini decided that he wanted replicas of the statue to be sent to cities with ties to Italy throughout the world as an offering of goodwill from his regime.

In 1931, the Cincinnati chapter of the Sons of Italy in America- the largest Italian-American fraternity organization in the country- submitted a request to Mussolini’s government for a Capitoline Wolf statue to be a centerpiece for their convention that year. Mussolini was reportedly delighted by the idea given Cincinnati’s own small connection to an ancient Roman hero (the name “Cincinnati” came from Cincinnatus, who is credited for saving the Rome in the 5th Century B.C.) Mussolini then delegated the task of having the statue made and delivered to the newly appointed Governor of Rome, Francesco Boncompagni Ludovisi.

Although meticulously planned for by both parties, the first arrival of a statue from Rome in September of 1931 was a letdown. Somehow, rather than the full-size statue, the miniature model statue was accidentally sent instead. The statue arrived many months later and was officially dedicated on June 11, 1932. Since it was sent without a base, the white marble stone on which the statue sits today was likely made by a Cincinnati masonry. The inscription “1931 – Anno X” appears to be a mistake. “Anno X”, meaning “Tenth Year” in Latin, refers to the tenth year of the Fascist Era following the March on Rome on October 28, 1922. However the tenth anniversary didn’t occur until 1932, several months after the statue arrived. This is likely when the marble base was made, which explains the error.

While many other replica statues have been placed across the country in the years following Mussolini's defeat, the Capitoline Wolf in Eden Park holds the distinction of being the only Capitoline Wolf statue in the United States with direct ties to Mussolini’s regime. On January 6, 2020, Cincinnati Council Member Chris Seelbach tweeted a link to an article uncovering the statue’s history with the caption, “Statues from the monster that was Benito Mussolini don’t belong in our parks. Museums? Maybe. But not Cincinnati Parks. I’m drafting legislation tomorrow to have the statue permanently removed.” After the tweet received backlash from members of the Cincinnati community, however, Seelbach announced that he would not be drafting legislation yet. Some historians recommended that rather than removing the statue, that its plaque be updated to include more of the statue’s complicated past.

Chicago also has a public monument in one of its parks that was a gift from Mussolini. While that monument has been the subject of intense debate, the fact that it was made from the remains of an ancient Italian temple has led enough citizens of the Windy City to decide it has historical merit. In the case of this replica in Cincinnati, lack of public awareness of the monument's origin seems to be the prevailing factor 

Beall, Joel M. Eden Park statue was a dictator's gift to Cincinnati, Cincinnati Enquirer. January 7th 2015. Accessed October 14th 2020. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/2015/01/07/dictators-gift-cincinnati/21405847/.

Brennan, Corey. In Cincinnati, a sculpture gifted in 1931 by Francesco Boncompagni Ludovisi draws new scrutiny, Villaludovisi. January 9th 2020. Accessed October 15th 2020. https://villaludovisi.org/2020/01/09/in-cincinnati-a-sculpture-gifted-in-1931-by-francesco-boncompagni-ludovisi-draws-new-scrutiny/.

Coolidge, Sharon. Mussolini gave Cincinnati a statue. Should it still be in Eden Park?, Cincinnati Enquirer. January 6th 2020. Accessed October 14th 2020. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/01/06/should-statue-gift-mussolini-removed-eden-park-cincinnati/2829704001/.

Laskow, Sarah. Neither Rome, GA, Nor Rome, NY, Could Handle a Statue with Wolf Teats, Atlas Obscura. October 16th 2015. Accessed October 15th 2020. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/neither-rome-ga-nor-rome-ny-could-handle-a-statue-with-wolf-teats.

Nicholas, Elizabeth. The Surprising Story Behind Cincinnati’s Capitoline Wolf Statue, Culture Trip. August 20th 2017. Accessed October 14th 2020. https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/ohio/articles/the-surprising-story-behind-cincinnatis-capitoline-wolf-statue/.

WPA Writers' Program. Cincinnati, a Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors. Edition 1st. Cincinnati, Ohio. Works Progress Administration , 1943.