Summary

Blank colour postcard featuring a reproduction of work by Giovanni Fattori "Carabiniere in perlustrazione" (Carabiniere on patrol) created in 1890. It is part of a series of Carabinieri postcards printed by Stab. L. Salmone in Rome, circa 1990. It depicts two Carabinieri on patrol. It was brought to Australia by an Italian migrant.

The Arma dei Carabinieri (Carabinieri) was created by King Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy, with the aim of providing the Kingdom of Sardinia with a police corps in 1814. After the unification of Italy the Carabinieri were appointed the First Force of the a newly founded Italian Army in 1861. In 2000 they became a separate branch of the Italian Armed Forces. The Carabinieri undertake both civilian police work and military work.

The uniform depicted on the postcard is the initial uniform of the Carabinieri which consisted of dark blue pants and jacket with silver braid around the collar and cuffs, edges trimmed in scarlet and epaulettes in silver. The mounted division had white fringes and, the infantry had light blue. Their headgear was a distinctive hat with two points popularly called the lucerna. The Carabinieri still use a version of this historic uniform today for ceremonies.

Physical Description

Rectangular postcard, printed in colour and featuring reproduction of work by Giovanni Fattori: "Carabiniere in perlustrazione (1890). The picture depicts two men and two horses. One of the men is seated on horse back, just in front of the empty horse. The other man is standing on the ground in front of the small group. All figures are viewed from behind. The figures are on a country road or track. In the background there is a building and a wall, and in the lower left hand corner, some stone markers. The reverse side of the postcard is cream in colour with some printing and markings in grey ink.

More Information