CINCINNATI — Months after Eden Park's Capitoline Wolf Statue was stolen, Cincinnati Parks is working to replace it.
The statue — a gift from the City of Rome and Benito Mussolini in 1931 — was hacked off and stolen away in June, leaving Romulus and Remus behind.
The thieves cut through the wolf's paws and removed the wolf as the paws remained attached to the pedestal.
Now, Cincinnati Parks and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation is teaming up with the Order of the Sons & Daughter's of Italy in America Cincinnati Chapter. The chapter originally oversaw the placement of the original statue.
The chapter contacted officials in Rome to develop a plan to recreate the statue, Cincinnati Parks said.
Cincinnati Parks said the remaining base of the statue has been shipped to Italy where Italian artists will fabricate the restoration. Those artists will use the remaining paws for scale and craft a new bronze cast, and the former paws will be melted and added to the statue as well.
"It is evident this magnificent artwork is the the source of many fond memories from park visitors throughout the region spanning many generations," Cincinnati Parks said.
After the statue is restored, it will be shipped back to Cincinnati and reclaim its throne in the park.
To hopefully thwart any copycat vandals, there will also be security enhancements to the statue.
Cincinnati Parks plans to announce the fundraising campaign led by the Cincinnati Parks Foundation soon.
"We want to thank all those who have reached out about this episode and look forward to sharing updates about the restoration as they become available," Cincinnati Parks said.
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