NAPLES, Italy — A new 40-foot artwork in one of Naples’ main squares by the late Italian designer Gaetano Pesce has raised eyebrows for its phallic appearance, coupled with a suggestive name.

The cylindrical creation, called “Tu si’ ‘na cosa grande” (“You are a great thing” in local dialect), is described as representing the stylized costume of the classic Neapolitan “Commedia dell’Arte” character, Pulcinella.

Pesce’s work replaced Michelangelo Pistoletto’s “Venus in Rags” – an oversized version of a classical Roman sculpture next to a pile of discarded clothes – on display in the Piazza del Municipio in the southern city Italy.

Next to it stand two giant hearts, pierced by Cupid’s arrow. Like the column, they can be illuminated from the inside.

“After the famous ‘Venus in Rags’, we couldn’t miss this one, which, to be honest, is really a phallic symbol in all its splendor,” said Matteo Vasta, a resident of the neighborhood.

Another local, Rosalba, was a fan of the previous work.

“I wonder what Gaetano Pesce wanted to do with this new facility,” she said.

Pesce died in New York in April at the age of 84. His work is characterized by an inventive use of colors and materials, including socio-political and pop culture references.

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