The canvas by the Dutch painter Pierre Henri Theodore Tetar Van Elven was created to show an event of great relevance in the history of the époque and the process which lead to the unification of Italy. It shows the inaugural sitting of the two branches of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardegna in the House of the Senate in Palazzo Madama in Torino.
At the end of the second war of independence, the peace agreement signed in Zurich allows the transfer of Lombardia from Austria, first to France and then to the Kingdom of Sardegna. On the 11th and 12th of March 1860, the plebiscites in Emilia Romagna and Toscana ratify the annexing of these territories to the Kingdom of Sardegna which, in a few months, has doubled in size.
On the morning of the 2nd of April, Piazza Castello in Torino is crowded with spectators. Shortly afterwards, King Vittorio Emanuele II takes the short ride from the Royal palace to Palazzo Madama in his carriage. Accompanied by a drum roll salute, he passes under an arc of triumph specially built for the occasion.
Opening session of parliament (April 2nd 1860) (1860) by Pierre Henri Théodore Tetar van ElvenNational Museum of Italian Risorgimento
The new Parliament which welcomes Senators and Deputies from the newly annexed territories takes place on the 2nd of April 1860 with the royal inaugural sitting of the seventh parliamentary term.
As soon as doors open at 9 a.m. the public seating becomes absolutely full almost immediately.
At 10 a.m. the king Vittorio Emanuele II is welcomed by the ministers and by two delegations of senators and members of parliament. His entrance into building is punctuated with warm applause and cries of, “Viva il Re!” (Long live the King).
The reading of the swearing in is followed by the nomination of the new Senators by roll call. As their names are called, each individual mentioned replies, ”I swear!”
Camillo Benso di Cavour (1810-1861)
Member of Parliament from 1848, Minister for Agriculture and then Finance from 1850 to 1852. President of the Council of Ministers from 1852 to 1859 and then from 1860 to 1861
Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882)
Member of Parliament in 1848 and from 1857 to 1860
Massimo d'Azeglio (1798-1866)
President of the Council of Ministers from 1849 to 1852. Senator of the Kingdom from 1852. In 1859, extraordinary commissioner of the Romagne regions and in 1860 governor of Milano
Manfredo Fanti (1806-1865)
Member of Parliament in 1849, Senator from 1860, Minister for War (1860-1861)
Terenzio Mamiani (1799-1885)
Member of Parliament from 1849. Minister for Education (1860-1861)
Giacomo Durando (1807-1894)
Member of Parliament from 1848 to 1857. Minister for War from 1855 to 1856. Senator of the Kingdom from 1855
Pier Carlo Boggio (1827-1866)
Member of Parliament from 1857
Giovanni Lanza (1810-1882)
Member of Parliament from 1848. Minister for Education in 1855, for Finance in 1858. President of the Chamber of deputies (from April 2nd 1860 to March 7th 1861)
Alessandro Manzoni (1785-1873)
Senator of the Kingdom from 1860
Urbano Rattazzi (1808-1873)
Member of Parliament from 1848, Minister for Education, for Agriculture and Commerce (1848) for Grace and Justice (1853) of the Interior (1855) and for Home Affairs (1859-60)
Luigi Cibrario (1802-1870)
Member of Parliament from 1848, Minister of Finance in 1852, for Education (1852-1855) and for Foreign Affairs (1855-1856). In 1860 Minister of State
Cesare Alfieri di Sostegno (1799-1869)
Senator of the Kingdom from 1848. President of the Senate from 1855 to 1860
Ettore de Gerbaix de Sonnaz (1787-1867)
Minister for War and the Navy from 1848 to 1849, Senator of the Kingdom from 1848
Enrico Morozzo della Rocca (1807-1897)
Minister for War in 1849, Chief of General Staff for the army from July 24th 1859. Senator of the Kingdom from 1861
Carlo Bon Compagni di Mombello (1804-1880)
Member of Parliament from 1848, Minister for Education in 1848 and 1852. Minister for Grace and Justice (1852-1853). President of the Chamber of deputies (1853-1856)
Pierre Henri Théodore Tetar van Elven, Seduta di apertura del parlamento (2 aprile 1860), olio su tela, 1860
Proprietà: Città di Torino - Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea
