In 1634, master sculptor Pietro Tacca created a bronze boar statue he called Il Porcellino (meaning piglet). The famous sculpture resided at Mercato Nuovo in Florence, Italy until 2008 when it was replaced with a copy. The original is maintained at Palazzo Mozzi. This replica has stood outside of the Sydney Hospital since 1968. Both the Italian and Australian versions have highly polished snouts because people rub them for the promise of good fortune.
