The bust of Marco Polo, “Travelling for Dialogue,” donated by the Fondazione Romualdo Del Bianco – Life Beyond Tourism® to the Sichuan Museum in Chengdu, represents a new testament to the cultural ties between Italy and China and to the Foundation’s commitment to promoting heritage as a means of mutual understanding and dialogue between cultures.
The work was unveiled on 28 December 2024, as part of the celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death and on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition “Journey of Knowledge: Marco Polo’s The Travels and Its Legacy Between East and West.” The exhibition had previously been hosted at the World Art Museum in Beijing, where it was visited in November 2024 by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani.
A Symbol of Cultural Diplomacy Between Italy and China
Commissioned by the Foundation and created by Tuscan sculptor Dino De Ranieri of Pietrasanta, the bust celebrates Marco Polo as an emblematic figure of the encounter between East and West: travel becomes an opportunity to discover others, exchange knowledge, and open up to different cultures.
On the occasion of the unveiling, the Foundation’s President, Carlotta Del Bianco, highlighted the significance of the initiative in a video message from Palazzo Coppini in Florence:
“With the bust of Marco Polo, Chengdu becomes the first stop in China on this journey of ours, further extending the message of friendship and dialogue promoted by the Foundation. We hope that the work will serve as a reminder of the importance of travel as a means of knowledge, dialogue, and intercultural respect.”
An International Network of Talking Busts
The donation to Chengdu is part of the Foundation’s international programme through which 27 busts in white Carrara marble have been donated to 15 countries, creating a network of places and institutions connected by Italian culture and dialogue.
From Leonardo da Vinci to Galileo Galilei, Dante Alighieri, and Michelangelo, the figures represented become ambassadors of culture and opportunities to build new relationships between communities, territories, and countries.
Through integration with the Talking Places® format, each bust is accompanied by a plaque with a QR code providing access to digital content dedicated to the person represented and the artwork itself. The sculpture thus becomes a gateway to knowledge and encounters between cultures.
Heritage as a Means of Dialogue
Through initiatives such as the one in Chengdu, the Foundation continues its work in cultural diplomacy, building international relationships through heritage and promoting culture as common ground for mutual understanding, cooperation, and dialogue.
The Foundation thanks the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for its support of the initiative and, in particular, the Director General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Minister Plenipotentiary Alessandro De Pedys, Caterina Scarponi, and the Consul General of Italy in Chongqing, Fabio Schina, for their institutional collaboration.
