The mural was created by Lorenzo De Pretto, a graphic designer and illustrator, in memory of the artist and cartoonist Albert Uderzo, the creator of the famous comic Asterix.
The mural, measuring 21 square meters and 14 meters in length by one and a half meters in height, was placed on a steel panel near the Rodari Gardens, in the center of Piovene Rocchette, and was inaugurated on October 1, 2020.
The large artwork tells the history of the town, from the Romans to today, and was drawn by De Pretto out of love for the city and admiration for the great French cartoonist, whose roots can be traced back to Piovene. In fact, two years ago, the municipality awarded honorary citizenship to Albert Uderzo.
This work humorously retraces the historical eras experienced in Piovene Rocchette: everything is faithfully represented, even what is no longer there. The work also features the author of the comic, the French Uderzo, at the wheel of the Peugeot registered in Piovene, which was the first Italian car.
The project started in 2016 when De Pretto, with a sketch of his project, went to Paris to meet Uderzo. The meeting, very cordial, ended with the author agreeing to the use of his characters. Uderzo also gave him a dedication that has been reproduced in the large drawing.
This is the only mural authorized by Uderzo that exists in Italy and the second in Europe, after the one in Brussels.
From the pen of Lorenzo De Pretto, the father of the famous Gardaland mascot, not only was Prezzemolo born but also many works for the weekly Topolino.
