A symbolic journey through materials, emotions, and culture
Between the halls and corridors of Palazzo Coppini, home of the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation – Life Beyond Tourism and the beating heart of the “Tokens of Gratitude” Museum, unfolds a unique journey – not only through objects, but through sculpted emotions, faces, hands, and forms that tell stories of friendship, memory, and sharing.
It is the sculptures that stand out with strength among the more than two thousand works donated by representatives from over 80 countries around the world. Bronze, marble, ebony, and wood statues: an interplay of materials and meanings that convey a universal narrative of symbols, spirituality, art, and humanity.
Italy carved in emotions: the busts of Dino De Ranieri
At the entrance of the palace, twelve marble busts welcome visitors in a captivating silent dialogue. These are the works of Dino De Ranieri, a Tuscan sculptor from Pietrasanta and member of a historic family of artists, who dedicated this series to representing the universal emotions of human beings. The statues depict moods ranging from vanity to glory, from madness to courage, featuring mythical and literary figures such as Don Quixote, Savonarola, Icarus, and Hercules.
Each bust is accompanied by an evocative phrase, the result of a collaboration with Maurizio Bossi, contributing to an emotional narrative that, despite its classical style, speaks a language immediately understandable across cultures. First exhibited in Russia in 2007 and later in Saratov in 2008, the busts are now an integral part of the museum path at Palazzo Coppini, demonstrating how art can unite languages and peoples.
Alongside these works, in the “Be Part of History” room, there is another noteworthy Italian sculpture: the marble Console, also created by De Ranieri, which welcomes visitors as a transitional element between the entrance and the museum narrative. Not merely decorative art, it serves as a symbol of hospitality and openness, in keeping with the spirit of the museum.
Poland: outstretched hands and sculpted memory
Another central focus is the bronze sculptures from Poland, including the works of master Stefan Dousa, a Polish artist and professor renowned for his public monuments. At Palazzo Coppini, the bronze model of his monument to the victims of communism at Krakow’s Rakowicki Cemetery is preserved: a cross supported by five hands, a powerful symbol of suffering and resilience.
Other works by the same artist enrich the collection: two life-sized hands reaching for each other through metal rods; a circular bronze wall sculpture featuring faces and hands supporting a sheath of wheat; a scene with doves flying around the dome of Florence, a symbol of universal peace. These works express the very essence of the Del Bianco Foundation’s mission: promoting encounters between peoples through art and dialogue.
Cameroon: ebony as a symbolic language
From Central Africa come powerful works deeply rooted in tradition: the ebony sculptures from Cameroon, donated in 2022 by the mayor of Bertoua, Jean Marie Sodea Dimbélé, include an elephant facing the entrance – a symbol of good fortune in Cameroonian culture – a couple with a child, and two elephant tusks. Together, they symbolize strength, family, and unity.
Although originating from a culture geographically and stylistically distant from European traditions, these statues find at Palazzo Coppini a fertile context for dialogue and exchange, creating intercultural connections that enrich the visitor’s experience and reinforce the museum’s global message.
From marble and bronze sculptures to ritual artifacts, every piece displayed at Palazzo Coppini is part of a collective story built through the gratitude of those who chose to donate. This is a museum that does not merely preserve, but invites participation, self-recognition, and the chance to be part of history.
