Proximus tuus
by D'ORSI, Achille, Bronze
The statue Proximus tuus (Latin, “your neighbour”) placed D’Orsi among the greatest exponents of the Italian social realism. The gaunt figure of the digger sitting on the floor with legs spread and expression dazed by fatigue is taken as an emblem of the lower classes, reduced to a state of hopeless degradation. There exist many replicas and excerpts in painting. The composition was probably based on a drawing by Millet.
The Proximus tuus was an isolated incident in the production of D’Orsi who later devoted himself to more traditional subjects.