The statue of Guidarello Guidarelli was sculpted by Tullio Lombardo in 1525, about twenty years after the death of this famous knight from Ravenna.
Preserved now at the art gallery of MAR – Ravenna Art Museum, the sculpture has always drawn considerable attention for the refined and delicate expression of the face, which was made even more intense by a recent renovation, in contrast to the rigidity of the armor.
Born in Ravenna between 1450 and 1460, Guidarelli was nominated knight by Frederick III in 1468 and was captain for Cesare Borgia in 1500. He died in Imola the following year, in a fight against a man who did not want to return a shirt he had lent him.
A legend about the statue started to spread over the centuries. Every woman who kissed the lips of Guidarelli would get married before the end of the year. The statue is not “kissable” anymore, but over five millions women are said to have given in to temptation: millions of sweet contemplations and platonic moments of abandon in front of the suffering face of Guidarelli, carved in the exact moment between life and death.
