Italian Artist Carves Beethoven's Face Into Field to Celebrate Conductor’s 250th Birthday

Ludwig Van Beethoven would have turned 250 this week and one Italian artist paid tribute to the German composer by plowing his face into his field outside Verona, Italy. Artist Dario Gambarin unveiled his work Tuesday to celebrate the birth of the classic composer.

The portrait, which is 25,000 square meters, or just over 8,200 square feet, and is the largest portrait of Beethoven in the world.

It was created with a tractor, plough and rotary harrow without the aid of preparatory drawings or markings on the ground.

“I dedicate this colossal portrait to the one and only Beethoven in hopes that his ‘Hymn to Joy’ will be the emblem of our renewed joy in life,” Gambarin said in a press release.  “Along with the wish for an end to this terrible pandemic, as we trust in the imminent arrival of a vaccine.”
 
Gambarin’s portraits of leading figures have included President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Pope Francis, Nelson Mandela, and soccer star Mario Balotelli.

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