Marzia Banci, Pólemos Sculpture, 2023, sterling silver, l 18 cm × h 11 cm

This small sculpture is made up of a wheeled toy horse wearily drawing a wheeled sphere, symbol of the world containing the estates of the Counts and Dukes of Urbino. The sphere originates from the letter omega, an emblem of past history that led to the formation of the Duchy. Omega contains fourteen thrusting swords, each engraved with the name and date of death of the most important members of the Montefeltro and Della Rovere dynasties, as well as of those who interacted with them. The hilts of eight swords are placed within the omega to represent those who defended the territory of Urbino (Montefeltrano II, 1202; Oddantonio da Montefeltro, 1444; Federico da Montefeltro, 1482; Guidubaldo I da Montefeltro, 1508; Francesco Maria I Della Rovere, 1538; Francesco Maria II Della Rovere, 1631; Federico Ubaldo Della Rovere, 1623); the remaining six hilts are outside the letter, the sword points towards the inside of the letter,  representing the Duchy aggressors (the Papal States; the Malatesta family; Cesare Borgia, 1507; Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici, 1519; Leon X, 1521; Urban VIII, 1644).