Gabriele Rossetti was already well-known during his lifetime, but only within a small circle of Italian literati who regarded him as a symbol of the anti-papal struggle—particularly against Pope Pius IX. At the time, many saw Pius IX as a potential unifying figure for Italy, making Rossetti’s opposition all the more significant. In 1847, two of his greatest admirers, the Tuscan writers Francesco Silvio Orlandini and Giambattista Niccolini, spearheaded the creation of a commemorative medal, engraved by Cerbara, to raise funds in support of the exiled poet.

Rossetti’s broader public recognition began with the unification of Italy and grew alongside the strongly anticlerical sentiment of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. It is worth noting that unification was only completed after Napoleon III’s France was defeated by the Prussians at Sedan—an event that allowed Italian troops to enter Rome and annex the Papal States.

In those years, Rossetti underwent a dramatic shift in reputation in his hometown of Vasto, where he transformed from an overlooked native son into a celebrated figure. His literary merit was acknowledged by leading poets such as Giosuè Carducci and Giovanni Pascoli, who, like Rossetti, were affiliated with Freemasonry. However, his legacy was also shaped by his personal history: exiled since 1821 to escape a death sentence issued by Ferdinand of Bourbon, Rossetti came to embody the ideals of emancipation from the old regime and adherence to the Risorgimento movement.

The idea of erecting a monument in his honor in Vasto was first proposed in 1863 by local Garibaldian Giuseppe de’ Conti Ricci. In 1871, the municipality acquired the original mold of Cerbara’s medal, from which one hundred gold replicas were produced and sold to finance the monument’s construction.

More than just a fundraising tool, the medal also served as a means of propaganda, raising awareness among influential figures about the importance of commemorating Rossetti. Some copies were presented to the King, the Royal Princes, and notable figures from Vasto, including the painters Filippo and Giuseppe Palizzi.

In 1883, to mark the centenary of Rossetti’s birth, a commemorative plaque was placed in the archaeological museum. The visit of Rossetti’s only surviving son, William Michael, and his donation of significant artifacts to the municipality further motivated local authorities to commission a monument design from the Vasto-born sculptor Alfonso Celano. Celano created both a sketch and a preparatory plaster model, but due to a lack of funds, the bronze statue was never completed. Instead, the plaster model was displayed in the archaeological museum alongside the commemorative plaque.

In 1897, a public committee was formed to revive the project. However, it wasn’t until 1904 that sufficient funds were raised, thanks to contributions from the provincial government, the King, and the Rossetti family in London. Even then, the funds proved inadequate to complete the monument. Only in 1915 did the local administration finally gather enough money to purchase the necessary bronze, but Italy’s entry into World War I further delayed the project.

During the early years of the Fascist regime, Rossetti’s figure gained even greater rhetorical significance. As a result, on April 17, 1924, his birthplace was officially declared a National Monument.

Meanwhile, thanks to contributions from Vasto-born industrialists who had emigrated to Argentina, the municipal government was finally able to complete the monument to Gabriele Rossetti, which now stands at the center of the square named in his honor.

Ironically, just three years after the monument’s inauguration, the Fascist regime signed the Lateran Pacts in 1929, restoring Catholicism as the state religion. Because of his staunch anticlericalism, Rossetti was gradually erased from Italian anthologies and largely forgotten.