Historical and Art Medals

Sisyphos am Isonzo [General Cadorna and the Battle Losses at the Isonzo River], 1916, cast bronze, helmeted bust right under an umbrella, rev. naked figure of Sisiphos standing astride rock, 58mm (K 171; Frankenhuis 1454). Extremely fine, attractively patinated (£80-100)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Karl Goetz Medals.

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Illustrated on the Plates. Luigi Cadorna (1850-1928), Italian chief of staff, launched mass attacks on Austria-Hungary in May 1915. The defending army quickly built trenches and the Italians suffered heavy casualties. In the first two weeks of the Isonzo offensive the Italian army lost 60,000 men; by the time the attacks were called off that winter, Italian casualties had reached 300,000