Italy school defends Mussolini portrait

ASCVOLI PICENO, Italy, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The headmaster of an Italian high school defended the hanging of a portrait of former dictator Benito Mussolini as historical.

Arturo Verna said the recently restored painting of the World War II dictator on horseback was "an allegory of Mussolini, or better still of the school system reform the fascist movement wanted."

The painting was created in 1937 for display at the school in Ascvoli Piceno when it was first built, Italy's ANSA news agency said.

ANSA said some of the locals in the central Italy town aren't keen on immortalizing Il Duce -- as Mussolini was known -- and want the portrait taken down.