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IL CHIOSTRO.
L’abbazia benedettina Monte Oliveto Maggiore si trova a Chiusure di Asciano, sud di Siena, circondata dal verde dei boschi e dal giallo ocra delle crete senesi. Qui, oggi come ieri, qui pace e tranquillità regnano sovrane.
L’architettura evoca quell’unione fra cielo e terra che vuole essere Monte Oliveto e che è richiamata anche dal chiostro, simbolo della radicalità monastica che è comunione con Dio e con i fratelli. Proprio il chiostro, primo approccio a quella via della bellezza che gli olivetani propongono per avvicinarsi all’assoluto, va considerato una delle meraviglie dell’abbazia con il celebre ciclo di affreschi sulla vita di san Benedetto dipinti prima da Luca Signorelli e poi dal Sodoma.
Note tratte dal sito:
www.terredisiena.it/arte-e-cultura/abbazia-di-monte-olive...
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THE CLOISTER.
The Benedictine abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore is located in Chiusure di Asciano, south of Siena, surrounded by the green of the woods and the yellow ochre of the Crete Senesi. Here, today as yesterday, peace and tranquility reign supreme.
The architecture evokes that union between heaven and earth that Monte Oliveto wants to be and which is also recalled by the cloister, a symbol of monastic radicality that is communion with God and with brothers. The cloister itself, the first approach to that path of beauty that the Olivetans propose to approach the absolute, should be considered one of the wonders of the abbey with the famous cycle of frescoes on the life of Saint Benedict painted first by Luca Signorelli and then by Sodoma.
PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-FX35
the poet Ovidius (1502 approx.) - Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - San Brizio Chapel, Orvieto Cathedral
Luca Signorelli, pseudonym of Luca d'Egidio di Ventura (Cortona, 1441-1445 circa - Cortona, October 16, 1523) - Lamentation over the dead Christ (1502) - Chapel of San Brizio - Cathedral of Orvieto
La cappella, ricavata nello spessore della parete destra, conteneva i corpi dei santi Faustino e Pietro Parenzo entro un sarcofago ancora in loco, oggetto di grande devozione in città. Sotto le mensole che reggono la cassa marmorea, Signorelli dipinse un toccante Compianto di Cristo morto tra i due santi orvietani, affresco di grande pathos soprattutto se letto alla luce del racconto di Vasari secondo cui nel corpo di Cristo l'artista ritrasse quello del figlio Antonio appena morto di peste a Cortona, nel 1502. La scena sarebbe infatti una replica autografa del Compianto del Museo diocesano di Cortona. Sui fianchi della cappellina si vedono le scene di martirio dei due santi
The chapel, built into the thickness of the right wall, contained the bodies of Saints Faustino and Pietro Parenzo in a sarcophagus still in place, the object of great devotion in the city. Under the brackets that hold up the marble case, Signorelli painted a touching Lamentation of the dead Christ between the two Orvieto saints, a fresco of great pathos especially if read in the light of Vasari's account according to which in the body of Christ the artist portrayed that of his son Antonio who had just died of the plague in Cortona in 1502. The scene would in fact be an autograph replica of the Lamentation in the Diocesan Museum of Cortona. On the sides of the chapel are the martyrdom scenes of the two saints
Luca Signorelli, pseudonym of Luca d'Egidio di Ventura (Cortona, about 1441-1445 - Cortona, October 16, 1523) - lunettes with the preaching of the antichrist and the universal judgement (1499-1502) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral.
Il ciclo inizia con la lunetta della Predica e fatti dell'Anticristo, la prima a sinistra dell'ingresso. Si tratta di un caso unico nell'arte italiana di rappresentazione in chiave monumentale della leggenda dell'Anticristo, tratta dal De ortu et tempore Antichristi, testo legato all'angosciosa attesa dell'anno Mille variamente attribuito, e dalla Leggenda Aurea]. La venuta di falsi Messia inoltre si trova nelle parole profetiche sugli Ultimi Giorni del Vangelo di Matteo
Sulla parete d'ingresso, resa angusta dall'arco di accesso, si trova la scena del Finimondo, dominata al centro da un putto che sorregge lo stemma dell'Opera del Duomo (O.P.S.M.)[15] e divisa in due gruppi narrativi[
The cycle begins with the lunette of the Preaching and facts of the Antichrist, the first to the left of the entrance. It deals with a unique case in the Italian art of representation in monumental key of the legend of the Antichrist, taken from the De ortu et tempore Antichristi, text tied to the anguished wait of the year Thousand variously attributed, and from the Golden Legend]. The coming of false Messiahs is also found in the prophetic words about the Last Days in the Gospel of Matthew
On the entrance wall, made narrow by the access arch, there is the scene of the Finimondo, dominated at the center by a putto holding the coat of arms of the Opera del Duomo (O.P.S.M.)[15] and divided into two narrative groups
Damned to the hell - frescoes Luca Signorelli (1500 approximately) Chapel of San Brizio, Cathedral of Orvieto
La seconda lunetta sulla parete destra mostra i Dannati all'Inferno. Fu la prima ad essere dipinta ed è una delle più riuscite in termini di immediatezza dell'immagine: colpisce infatti il brulichio di corpi umani nudi e demoni dalle membra colorate. Si tratta della scena più ricca di invenzioni grottesche, scherzi, allusioni erotiche e salaci trovate.
Un dettaglio famoso è quello del demone volante che porta sulle spalle una prosperosa peccatrice e guarda indietro verso di lei ghignando, evidentemente soddisfatto della preda.
The second lunette on the right wall shows the Damned in Hell. It was the first to be painted and is one of the most successful in terms of immediacy of the image: in fact, the swarming of naked human bodies and demons with colored limbs is striking. It is the richest scene of grotesque inventions, jokes, erotic allusions and salacious gimmicks.
A famous detail is that of the flying demon who carries on his shoulders a prosperous sinner and looks back at her sneering, evidently satisfied with his prey.
Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Stories of St Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - about 1505
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Benedict builds twelve monasteries - Stories of St Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - about 1505
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Or maybe two. Seen near Covent Garden in London.
Thanks to songwriters Frank Signorelli, Matt Malneck, Mitchell Parish for the title.
il Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Benedict left the school in Rome
il Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Benoît abandonne l'école de Rome
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte OlivetoI Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Les épisodes de la Vie de saint Benoît de Monte Oliveto Maggiore composent un cycle de fresques du cloître principal de l'abbaye bénédictine de Monte Oliveto Maggiore (commune d'Asciano, dans la province de Sienne), réalisé par Luca Signorelli (huit fresques), qui y travailla de 1497 à 1498, et par Le Sodoma, qui compléta le cycle à partir de 1505 avec les vingt-six fresques manquantes. Une scène (Benoît envoie Maur en France et Placide en Sicile) a été repeinte par Riccio.
Il s'agit de la description picturale la plus complète de la vie de saint Benoît de Nursie (né vers 480-490, mort en 547), composée au total de trente-cinq scènes basées sur le récit du pape Grégoire le Grand.
La vie de Benoît se déroule entre les derniers soubresauts de l'Empire romain d'Occident et les invasions barbares, fournissant à l'imagination des peintres qui l'ont mise en scène un fond historique stimulant et bariolé.
(wikipidia)
Luca Signorelli (Luca d'Egidio di Ventura) (1445-1523) - Benedict hunt the enemy above the stone ( 1497-1498)
Luca Signorelli (Luca d'Egidio di Ventura) (1445-1523) - Benoît chasse l'Ennemi de sur la pierre (1497-1498)
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Les épisodes de la Vie de saint Benoît de Monte Oliveto Maggiore composent un cycle de fresques du cloître principal de l'abbaye bénédictine de Monte Oliveto Maggiore (commune d'Asciano, dans la province de Sienne), réalisé par Luca Signorelli (huit fresques), qui y travailla de 1497 à 1498, et par Le Sodoma, qui compléta le cycle à partir de 1505 avec les vingt-six fresques manquantes. Une scène (Benoît envoie Maur en France et Placide en Sicile) a été repeinte par Riccio.
Il s'agit de la description picturale la plus complète de la vie de saint Benoît de Nursie (né vers 480-490, mort en 547), composée au total de trente-cinq scènes basées sur le récit du pape Grégoire le Grand.
La vie de Benoît se déroule entre les derniers soubresauts de l'Empire romain d'Occident et les invasions barbares, fournissant à l'imagination des peintres qui l'ont mise en scène un fond historique stimulant et bariolé.
(wikipedia)
Italien / Toskana - Montepulciano
Montepulciano (Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a 605-metre (1,985 ft) limestone ridge, 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of Pienza, 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Siena, 124 kilometres (77 mi) southeast of Florence, and 186 kilometres (116 mi) north of Rome by car.
Montepulciano is a wine-producing region. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita status and is, with the Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico, one of the principal red wines of Tuscany. The Rosso di Montepulciano and Vin Santo di Montepulciano have Denominazione di origine controllata status.
History
According to legend, it was founded by the Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Clusium (modern Chiusi). Recent findings prove that a settlement was in existence in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. In Roman times it was the seat of a garrison guarding the main roads of the area.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it developed as a religious center under the Lombards. In the 12th century it was repeatedly attacked by the Republic of Siena, which the Poliziani faced with the help of the Perugia and Orvieto, and sometimes Florence, communes. The 14th century was characterized by constant struggles between the local noble families, until the Del Pecora family became rulers of the town. From 1390, Montepulciano was a loyal ally (and later possession) of Florence and, until the mid-16th century, lived a period of splendour with architects such as Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Ippolito Scalza and others, building luxurious residences and other edifices here. In 1559, when Siena was conquered by Florence and Montepulciano lost its strategic role, its importance declined.
After the unification of Italy and the drying of the Val di Chiana, the town remained the most important agricultural centre in the area, while the industrial activities moved mostly next to Chiusi, which was nearer to the railroad being built in that period.
A competitive "barrel race through the city" called the Bravio delle botti has been held on the last Sunday of August since the 14th Century.
Main sights
Since the Second World War, tourism has been a significant aspect in the economy of the urban part of the commune. Many of the streets are designated as car-free. Most of the shops and restaurants are on the main street, which stretches from Porta Al Prato to Piazza Grande[6] for 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi).
The main landmarks include:
Palazzo Comunale: city hall designed by Michelozzo recalling the Palazzo della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio) of Florence.
Palazzo Tarugi, attributed to Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. It is entirely in travertine, with a portico which was once open to the public.
Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, or the Duomo of Montepulciano, constructed between 1594 and 1680, includes a masterpiece from the Sienese School, a massive Assumption of the Virgin triptych painted by Taddeo di Bartolo in 1401.
Santa Maria delle Grazie: late 16th-century) church with a simple Mannerist façade with a three-arcade portico. The interior has a single nave, and houses a precious terracotta altar by Andrea della Robbia.
Madonna di San Biagio Sanctuary: church, located on the road to Chianciano outside the city, it is a typical 16th century Tuscan edifice, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder on a pre-existing Pieve, between 1518 and 1545. It has a circular (central) plan with a large dome over a terrace and a squared tambour. The exterior, with two bell towers, is built in white travertine.
Santa Lucia: Baroque church with altarpiece by Luca Signorelli.
Museo Civico di Montepulciano: located in the Palazzo Neri Orselli, displaying a collection of archeologic items, paintings, and terracotta works by the Della Robbia family.
(Wikipedia)
Montepulciano ist eine Kleinstadt mit 13.691 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) in der italienischen Region Toskana und gehört zur Provinz Siena.
Geografie
Montepulciano liegt ca. 45 km südöstlich der Provinzhauptstadt Siena und ca. 86 km südöstlich der Regionalhauptstadt Florenz zwischen dem Val di Chiana und dem Val d’Orcia. Lage und Bau der Stadt sind pittoresk. Die Stadt liegt auf der Kuppe eines rund 600 m hohen Hügels und ist von einer mittelalterlichen Stadtmauer umgeben.
Zu den Ortsteilen gehören Abbadia, Acquaviva, Gracciano, Montepulciano Stazione, Sant’Albino und Valiano.
Die Nachbargemeinden sind Castiglione del Lago (PG), Chianciano Terme, Chiusi, Cortona (AR), Pienza und Torrita di Siena.
Geschichte
Die Geschichte Montepulcianos lässt sich bis ins Jahr 715 v. Chr. zurückverfolgen, also bis mitten in die Etruskerzeit. Der Ort unterlag bis 1202 dem Schutz Sienas, erklärte sich dann für Florenz und wechselte anschließend noch mehrfach die Herrschaft, bis er Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts endgültig florentinisch wurde. 1561 wurde die Stadt Bischofssitz.
Montepulciano ist der Geburtsort des Humanisten und Poeten Angelo Ambrogini (1454–1494), der als Poliziano bekannt wurde und als Hauslehrer und Freund von Lorenzo il Magnifico den Zeitgeist der Renaissance mitprägte. Ein weiterer Sohn der Stadt ist Kardinal Bellarmino (1542–1621).
Im Zweiten Weltkrieg hatte die deutsche Wehrmacht als Vergeltung von Partisanenangriffen bereits die Zerstörung der historischen Altstadt angeordnet. Dies konnte vom Grafen Origo und seiner Frau, der Schriftstellerin Iris Origo („Toskanisches Tagebuch“), in letzter Minute verhindert werden. Gesprengt wurde lediglich das Osttor „Porta al Prato“.
Am 7. Juni 2016 vereinbarten Vertreter des Partito Democratico aus Montepulciano und Torrita di Siena, die in ihren Gemeinden eine klare Mehrheit haben, eine Fusion beider Gemeinden in die Wege zu leiten. Dies wurde im November 2018 in einem Referendum abgelehnt.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Die meisten der Gebäude der Altstadt stammen aus der Zeit der Renaissance. Älter sind die Burg, der Palazzo Pubblico aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und das Portal der Kirche Santa Maria (13. Jahrhundert). Es gibt eine Reihe von schönen Privathäusern, von denen einige von Antonio da Sangallo dem Älteren (1455–1534) und Baldassare Peruzzi (1481–1536), andere von Vignola (1507–1573) erbaut wurden.
Die Kirche Madonna di San Biagio – wahrscheinlich das Meisterwerk Sangallos – wurde 1518 bis 1537 gebaut.
Die Kathedrale von Bartolomeo Ammanati (1570), verändert von Ippolito Scalza, und vollendet 1680 (mit Ausnahme der Fassade, die immer noch unvollendet ist) beherbergt einen großen Altar von Taddeo di Bartolo von Siena, und die Fragmente eines imposanten Monuments, das 1427–1436 von dem Florentiner Architekten Michelozzo zu Ehren von Bartolomeo Aragazzi, dem Sekretär Papst Martins V., errichtet wurde, und das im 18. Jahrhundert abgerissen wurde. Die Fassade der Kirche Sant’Agostino ist wahrscheinlich ebenso Michelozzos Werk.
Sehenswert ist auch das aufwendig restaurierte Museo comunale mit der Gemäldesammlung Crociani. Unten im Val di Chiana befindet sich am Lago di Montepulciano ein Naturkundemuseum, das an die Jahrhunderte erinnert, in denen das Tal ein riesiger See und Sumpf war.
Tourismus
Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen
Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte: das Musikfestival, dessen Initiator 1976 der deutsche Komponist Hans Werner Henze war, findet jährlich von Ende Juli bis Anfang August statt.
Europäische Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst: Meisterkurse der Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln in Zusammenarbeit mit der Europäischen Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst finden jährlich mit ihren wöchentlichen Abschlusskonzerten im Palazzo Ricci statt.
Bruscello: ist ein Bauerntheater mit Musik; es findet jedes Jahr zu Ferragosto (am 15. August) statt.
Bravio delle Botti: ein Wettkampf der acht Stadtteile, bei dem Weinfässer den Berg hoch gerollt werden müssen; er findet jedes Jahr am letzten Sonntag im August statt
Tourismus
Neben Weinkennern kommen auch viele Musikliebhaber nach Montepulciano (siehe Abschnitt Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen).
In den letzten Jahren war Montepulciano wiederholt Schauplatz preisgekrönter Spielfilme wie „Der englische Patient“, „Heaven“ oder „Ein Sommernachtstraum“ und „New Moon – Bis(s) zur Mittagsstunde“ mit Robert Pattinson und Kristen Stewart.
Weinbau
Böden, Lagen und Klima der Gegend begünstigen den Weinbau, durch den der Ort bekannt geworden ist. Der Rotwein hat einen „noblen“ Namen: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, dessen Name aber mit dem Wein Montepulciano d’Abruzzo aus den Marken und Abruzzen verwechselt werden könnte. Die Winzer von Montepulciano machen den Unterschied in den Rebsorten, in der Haltbarkeit und in der Qualität und orientieren sich dabei an den toskanischen Nachbarn aus Montalcino. Der einfachere Wein aus Montepulciano wird Rosso di Montepulciano genannt.
(Wikipedia)
Luca Signorelli, pseudonym of Luca d'Egidio di Ventura (Cortona, about 1441-1445 - Cortona, October 16, 1523) - lunette with the blessed in paradise (1499-1502) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral.
Preaching and facts of the Antichrist (1502) - Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral
L’Anticristo è la prima raffigurazione del ciclo, che si incontra subito a sinistra dopo l’ingresso nel duomo.
Per il tema trattato e per come esso viene svolto nella presente composizione, il riquadro costituisce un caso unico nella Storia dell’arte italiana. Una raffigurazione a carattere monumentale tratta dal “De ortu et tempore Antichristi” – testo variamente attribuito, allora fortemente legato alla tormentosa attesa del secondo millennio – e dalla Leggenda Aurea.
L’avvento di falsi Messia, inoltre, lo troviamo negli scritti profetici sugli Ultimi Giorni del Vangelo secondo Matteo.
L’Anticristo viene raffigurato da Signorelli in primo piano mentre predica alla folla da sopra un piedistallo. Esso, nelle fattezze, è simile a Gesù Cristo ma viene mosso dal demone che sta al suo fianco e che gli detta precisi ordini all’orecchio, guidandogli i gesti in modo assai disarticolato, come se fosse inanimato (si noti a tal proposito il braccio sinistro di Satana che si sostituisce completamente a quello dell’Anticristo). Esso è attorniato da molta gente, dislocata in vari gruppi, che ha offerto lussuosi doni e generose elargizioni, apparendo già irrimediabilmente corrotta dai suoi discorsi.
Nella zona a sinistra appaiono scene di grande degrado: un uomo sta compiendo un’efferata strage, una giovane donna sta ricevendo soldi dopo essersi prostituita con un anziano mercante, mentre altre figure di basso rango sono in atteggiamenti di pura spavalderia.
The Antichrist is the first representation of the cycle, which is encountered immediately to the left after entering the cathedral.
For the treated theme and for how it is developed in the present composition, the panel constitutes a unique case in the History of the Italian art. A representation of monumental character taken from the "De ortu et tempore Antichristi" - text variously attributed, then strongly tied to the tormenting wait of the second millennium - and from the Golden Legend.
The advent of false Messiahs, moreover, we find in the prophetic writings on the Last Days of the Gospel according to Matthew.
The Antichrist is depicted by Signorelli in the foreground while preaching to the crowd from a pedestal. It, in features, is similar to Jesus Christ but is moved by the demon who is at his side and who dictates precise orders in his ear, guiding his gestures in a very disjointed way, as if he were inanimate (note in this regard the left arm of Satan that completely replaces that of the Antichrist). He is surrounded by many people, dislocated in various groups, who have offered luxurious gifts and generous handouts, already appearing irreparably corrupted by his speeches.
In the area to the left there are scenes of great degradation: a man is committing a brutal massacre, a young woman is receiving money after prostituting herself with an elderly merchant, while other figures of low rank are in attitudes of pure bravado.
Preaching and facts of the Antichrist (1502) - Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral
L’Anticristo è la prima raffigurazione del ciclo, che si incontra subito a sinistra dopo l’ingresso nel duomo.
Per il tema trattato e per come esso viene svolto nella presente composizione, il riquadro costituisce un caso unico nella Storia dell’arte italiana. Una raffigurazione a carattere monumentale tratta dal “De ortu et tempore Antichristi” – testo variamente attribuito, allora fortemente legato alla tormentosa attesa del secondo millennio – e dalla Leggenda Aurea.
L’avvento di falsi Messia, inoltre, lo troviamo negli scritti profetici sugli Ultimi Giorni del Vangelo secondo Matteo.
L’Anticristo viene raffigurato da Signorelli in primo piano mentre predica alla folla da sopra un piedistallo. Esso, nelle fattezze, è simile a Gesù Cristo ma viene mosso dal demone che sta al suo fianco e che gli detta precisi ordini all’orecchio, guidandogli i gesti in modo assai disarticolato, come se fosse inanimato (si noti a tal proposito il braccio sinistro di Satana che si sostituisce completamente a quello dell’Anticristo). Esso è attorniato da molta gente, dislocata in vari gruppi, che ha offerto lussuosi doni e generose elargizioni, apparendo già irrimediabilmente corrotta dai suoi discorsi.
Nella zona a sinistra appaiono scene di grande degrado: un uomo sta compiendo un’efferata strage, una giovane donna sta ricevendo soldi dopo essersi prostituita con un anziano mercante, mentre altre figure di basso rango sono in atteggiamenti di pura spavalderia.
The Antichrist is the first representation of the cycle, which is encountered immediately to the left after entering the cathedral.
For the treated theme and for how it is developed in the present composition, the panel constitutes a unique case in the History of the Italian art. A representation of monumental character taken from the "De ortu et tempore Antichristi" - text variously attributed, then strongly tied to the tormenting wait of the second millennium - and from the Golden Legend.
The advent of false Messiahs, moreover, we find in the prophetic writings on the Last Days of the Gospel according to Matthew.
The Antichrist is depicted by Signorelli in the foreground while preaching to the crowd from a pedestal. It, in features, is similar to Jesus Christ but is moved by the demon who is at his side and who dictates precise orders in his ear, guiding his gestures in a very disjointed way, as if he were inanimate (note in this regard the left arm of Satan that completely replaces that of the Antichrist). He is surrounded by many people, dislocated in various groups, who have offered luxurious gifts and generous handouts, already appearing irreparably corrupted by his speeches.
In the area to the left there are scenes of great degradation: a man is committing a brutal massacre, a young woman is receiving money after prostituting herself with an elderly merchant, while other figures of low rank are in attitudes of pure bravado.
Italien / Toskana - Montepulciano
seen from the tower of the Palazzo Comunale
gesehen vom Turm des Palazzo Comunale
Montepulciano (Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a 605-metre (1,985 ft) limestone ridge, 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of Pienza, 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Siena, 124 kilometres (77 mi) southeast of Florence, and 186 kilometres (116 mi) north of Rome by car.
Montepulciano is a wine-producing region. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita status and is, with the Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico, one of the principal red wines of Tuscany. The Rosso di Montepulciano and Vin Santo di Montepulciano have Denominazione di origine controllata status.
History
According to legend, it was founded by the Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Clusium (modern Chiusi). Recent findings prove that a settlement was in existence in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. In Roman times it was the seat of a garrison guarding the main roads of the area.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it developed as a religious center under the Lombards. In the 12th century it was repeatedly attacked by the Republic of Siena, which the Poliziani faced with the help of the Perugia and Orvieto, and sometimes Florence, communes. The 14th century was characterized by constant struggles between the local noble families, until the Del Pecora family became rulers of the town. From 1390, Montepulciano was a loyal ally (and later possession) of Florence and, until the mid-16th century, lived a period of splendour with architects such as Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Ippolito Scalza and others, building luxurious residences and other edifices here. In 1559, when Siena was conquered by Florence and Montepulciano lost its strategic role, its importance declined.
After the unification of Italy and the drying of the Val di Chiana, the town remained the most important agricultural centre in the area, while the industrial activities moved mostly next to Chiusi, which was nearer to the railroad being built in that period.
A competitive "barrel race through the city" called the Bravio delle botti has been held on the last Sunday of August since the 14th Century.
Main sights
Since the Second World War, tourism has been a significant aspect in the economy of the urban part of the commune. Many of the streets are designated as car-free. Most of the shops and restaurants are on the main street, which stretches from Porta Al Prato to Piazza Grande[6] for 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi).
The main landmarks include:
Palazzo Comunale: city hall designed by Michelozzo recalling the Palazzo della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio) of Florence.
Palazzo Tarugi, attributed to Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. It is entirely in travertine, with a portico which was once open to the public.
Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, or the Duomo of Montepulciano, constructed between 1594 and 1680, includes a masterpiece from the Sienese School, a massive Assumption of the Virgin triptych painted by Taddeo di Bartolo in 1401.
Santa Maria delle Grazie: late 16th-century) church with a simple Mannerist façade with a three-arcade portico. The interior has a single nave, and houses a precious terracotta altar by Andrea della Robbia.
Madonna di San Biagio Sanctuary: church, located on the road to Chianciano outside the city, it is a typical 16th century Tuscan edifice, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder on a pre-existing Pieve, between 1518 and 1545. It has a circular (central) plan with a large dome over a terrace and a squared tambour. The exterior, with two bell towers, is built in white travertine.
Santa Lucia: Baroque church with altarpiece by Luca Signorelli.
Museo Civico di Montepulciano: located in the Palazzo Neri Orselli, displaying a collection of archeologic items, paintings, and terracotta works by the Della Robbia family.
(Wikipedia)
Montepulciano ist eine Kleinstadt mit 13.691 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) in der italienischen Region Toskana und gehört zur Provinz Siena.
Geografie
Montepulciano liegt ca. 45 km südöstlich der Provinzhauptstadt Siena und ca. 86 km südöstlich der Regionalhauptstadt Florenz zwischen dem Val di Chiana und dem Val d’Orcia. Lage und Bau der Stadt sind pittoresk. Die Stadt liegt auf der Kuppe eines rund 600 m hohen Hügels und ist von einer mittelalterlichen Stadtmauer umgeben.
Zu den Ortsteilen gehören Abbadia, Acquaviva, Gracciano, Montepulciano Stazione, Sant’Albino und Valiano.
Die Nachbargemeinden sind Castiglione del Lago (PG), Chianciano Terme, Chiusi, Cortona (AR), Pienza und Torrita di Siena.
Geschichte
Die Geschichte Montepulcianos lässt sich bis ins Jahr 715 v. Chr. zurückverfolgen, also bis mitten in die Etruskerzeit. Der Ort unterlag bis 1202 dem Schutz Sienas, erklärte sich dann für Florenz und wechselte anschließend noch mehrfach die Herrschaft, bis er Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts endgültig florentinisch wurde. 1561 wurde die Stadt Bischofssitz.
Montepulciano ist der Geburtsort des Humanisten und Poeten Angelo Ambrogini (1454–1494), der als Poliziano bekannt wurde und als Hauslehrer und Freund von Lorenzo il Magnifico den Zeitgeist der Renaissance mitprägte. Ein weiterer Sohn der Stadt ist Kardinal Bellarmino (1542–1621).
Im Zweiten Weltkrieg hatte die deutsche Wehrmacht als Vergeltung von Partisanenangriffen bereits die Zerstörung der historischen Altstadt angeordnet. Dies konnte vom Grafen Origo und seiner Frau, der Schriftstellerin Iris Origo („Toskanisches Tagebuch“), in letzter Minute verhindert werden. Gesprengt wurde lediglich das Osttor „Porta al Prato“.
Am 7. Juni 2016 vereinbarten Vertreter des Partito Democratico aus Montepulciano und Torrita di Siena, die in ihren Gemeinden eine klare Mehrheit haben, eine Fusion beider Gemeinden in die Wege zu leiten. Dies wurde im November 2018 in einem Referendum abgelehnt.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Die meisten der Gebäude der Altstadt stammen aus der Zeit der Renaissance. Älter sind die Burg, der Palazzo Pubblico aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und das Portal der Kirche Santa Maria (13. Jahrhundert). Es gibt eine Reihe von schönen Privathäusern, von denen einige von Antonio da Sangallo dem Älteren (1455–1534) und Baldassare Peruzzi (1481–1536), andere von Vignola (1507–1573) erbaut wurden.
Die Kirche Madonna di San Biagio – wahrscheinlich das Meisterwerk Sangallos – wurde 1518 bis 1537 gebaut.
Die Kathedrale von Bartolomeo Ammanati (1570), verändert von Ippolito Scalza, und vollendet 1680 (mit Ausnahme der Fassade, die immer noch unvollendet ist) beherbergt einen großen Altar von Taddeo di Bartolo von Siena, und die Fragmente eines imposanten Monuments, das 1427–1436 von dem Florentiner Architekten Michelozzo zu Ehren von Bartolomeo Aragazzi, dem Sekretär Papst Martins V., errichtet wurde, und das im 18. Jahrhundert abgerissen wurde. Die Fassade der Kirche Sant’Agostino ist wahrscheinlich ebenso Michelozzos Werk.
Sehenswert ist auch das aufwendig restaurierte Museo comunale mit der Gemäldesammlung Crociani. Unten im Val di Chiana befindet sich am Lago di Montepulciano ein Naturkundemuseum, das an die Jahrhunderte erinnert, in denen das Tal ein riesiger See und Sumpf war.
Tourismus
Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen
Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte: das Musikfestival, dessen Initiator 1976 der deutsche Komponist Hans Werner Henze war, findet jährlich von Ende Juli bis Anfang August statt.
Europäische Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst: Meisterkurse der Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln in Zusammenarbeit mit der Europäischen Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst finden jährlich mit ihren wöchentlichen Abschlusskonzerten im Palazzo Ricci statt.
Bruscello: ist ein Bauerntheater mit Musik; es findet jedes Jahr zu Ferragosto (am 15. August) statt.
Bravio delle Botti: ein Wettkampf der acht Stadtteile, bei dem Weinfässer den Berg hoch gerollt werden müssen; er findet jedes Jahr am letzten Sonntag im August statt
Tourismus
Neben Weinkennern kommen auch viele Musikliebhaber nach Montepulciano (siehe Abschnitt Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen).
In den letzten Jahren war Montepulciano wiederholt Schauplatz preisgekrönter Spielfilme wie „Der englische Patient“, „Heaven“ oder „Ein Sommernachtstraum“ und „New Moon – Bis(s) zur Mittagsstunde“ mit Robert Pattinson und Kristen Stewart.
Weinbau
Böden, Lagen und Klima der Gegend begünstigen den Weinbau, durch den der Ort bekannt geworden ist. Der Rotwein hat einen „noblen“ Namen: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, dessen Name aber mit dem Wein Montepulciano d’Abruzzo aus den Marken und Abruzzen verwechselt werden könnte. Die Winzer von Montepulciano machen den Unterschied in den Rebsorten, in der Haltbarkeit und in der Qualität und orientieren sich dabei an den toskanischen Nachbarn aus Montalcino. Der einfachere Wein aus Montepulciano wird Rosso di Montepulciano genannt.
(Wikipedia)
Italien / Toskana - Volterra
Volterra (Italian pronunciation: [volˈtɛrra]; Latin: Volaterrae) is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.
History
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri or Vlathri and to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy. The town was a Bronze Age settlement of the Proto-Villanovan culture, and an important Etruscan center (Velàthre, Velathri or Felathri in Etruscan, Volaterrae in Latin language), one of the "twelve cities" of the Etruscan League.
The site is believed to have been continuously inhabited as a city since at least the end of the 8th century BC. It became a municipium allied to Rome at the end of the 3rd century BC. The city was a bishop's residence in the 5th century, and its episcopal power was affirmed during the 12th century. With the decline of the episcopate and the discovery of local alum deposits, Volterra became a place of interest of the Republic of Florence, whose forces conquered Volterra. Florentine rule was not always popular, and opposition occasionally broke into rebellion. These rebellions were put down by Florence.
When the Republic of Florence fell in 1530, Volterra came under the control of the Medici family and later followed the history of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Culture
The main events that take place during the year in Volterra are
Volterra gusto
Volterra arte
Volterra teatro
Main sights
Roman Theatre of Volterra, 1st century BC, excavated in the 1950s
the Roman amphitheatre was discovered in 2015 and has been excavated over the succeeding years
Piazza dei Priori, the main square, a fine example of medieval Tuscan town squares
Palazzo dei Priori, the town hall located on Piazza dei Priori, construction begun in 1208 and finished in 1257
Pinacoteca e museo civico di Volterra (Art Gallery) in Palazzo Minucci-Solaini. Founded in 1905, the gallery consists mostly of works by Tuscan artists from 14th to 17th centuries. Includes a Deposition by Rosso Fiorentino.
Etruscan Acropolis and Roman Cistern. The acropolis on the citadel dates to the 8th century B.C., while the impressive cistern is from the 1st century B.C.
Volterra Cathedral. It was enlarged in the 13th century after an earthquake. It houses a ciborium and some angels by Mino da Fiesole, a notable wood Deposition (1228), a masterwork of Romanesque sculpture and the Sacrament Chapel, with paintings by Santi di Tito, Giovanni Balducci and Agostino Veracini. In the center of the vault are fragments of an Eternal Father by Niccolò Circignani. Also noteworthy is the Addolorata Chapel, with a terracotta group attributed to Andrea della Robbia and a fresco of Riding Magi by Benozzo Gozzoli. In the nearby chapel, dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus, is a table with Christ's monogram, allegedly painted by Bernardino of Siena. The rectangular bell tower is from 1493.
Volterra Baptistery of San Giovanni, built in the second half of the 13th century.
Fortezza Medicea (Medicean Fortress), built in the 1470s, now a prison housing the noted restaurant, Fortezza Medicea restaurant.
Guarnacci Etruscan Museum, with thousands of funeral urns dating back to the Hellenistic and Archaic periods. Main attractions are the bronze statuette "Ombra della sera" (lit. '"Shadow of the Night"'), and the sculpted effigy, "Urna degli Sposi" (lit. '"Urn of the Spouses"') of an Etruscan couple in terra cotta.
The Etruscan Walls of Volterra, including the well-preserved Walls of Volterra (3rd-2nd centuries BC), and Porta Diana gates.
The Medici Villa di Spedaletto, outside the city, in direction of Lajatico
There are excavations of Etruscan tombs in the Valle Bona area.
Volterra Psychiatric Hospital, Founded in 1888 until 1978, it was reopened for public and will be once more used for psychiatric purposes.
In popular culture
Volterra features in Horatius, a poem by Lord Macaulay.
Linda Proud's A Tabernacle for the Sun (2005), the first volume of The Botticelli Trilogy, begins with the sack of Volterra in 1472. Volterra is the ancestral home of the Maffei family and the events of 1472 lead directly to the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478. The protagonist of the novel is Tommaso de' Maffei, half brother of one of the conspirators.
Volterra is an important location in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. In the books, Volterra is home to the Volturi, a clan of rich, regal, powerful ancient vampires, who essentially act as the rulers of the world's vampire population. (However, the relevant scenes from the movie were shot in Montepulciano.)
Volterra is the site of Stendhal's famously disastrous encounter in 1819 with his beloved Countess Mathilde Dembowska: she recognised him there, despite his disguise of new clothes and green glasses, and was furious. This is the central incident in his book On Love
Volterra is mentioned repeatedly in British author Dudley Pope's Captain Nicholas Ramage historical nautical series. Gianna, the Marchesa of Volterra and the fictional ruler of the area, features in the first twelve books of the eighteen-book series. The books chart the progress and career of Ramage during the Napoleonic wars of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, providing readers with well-scripted articulate details of life aboard sailing vessels and conditions at sea of that time.
Volterra is the site where the novel Chimaira by the Italian author Valerio Massimo Manfredi takes place.
Valerio Massimo Manfredi's The Ancient Curse is also set in Volterra, where a statue called 'The Shade of Twilight' is stolen from the Volterra museum.
Volterra is featured in Jhumpa Lahiri's 2008 collection of short stories Unaccustomed Earth. It is where Hema and Kaushik, the protagonists of the final short story "Going Ashore," travel before they part.
Volterra is featured in Luchino Visconti's 1965 film Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa, released as Sandra (Of a Thousand Delights) in the United States and as Of These Thousand Pleasures in the UK.
Volterra's scenery is used for Central City in the 2017 film Fullmetal Alchemist (film) directed by Fumihiko Sori.
The 2016 video game The Town of Light is set in a fictionalized version of the notorious Volterra Psychiatric Hospital.
"Volaterrae" is the name given by Dan and Una to their secret place in Far Wood in Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill. They named it from the verse in Lord Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome:
From lordly Volaterrae,
Where scowls the far-famed hold
Piled by the hands of giants
For Godlike Kings of old.
Volterra and its relationship with Medici Florence features in the 2018 second season of Medici: Masters of Florence.
(Wikipedia)
Volterra, lateinisch Volaterrae, ist eine italienische Stadt mit 9980 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) in der Provinz Pisa in der Region Toskana.
Geographie
Volterra liegt etwa 50 Kilometer südlich von Pisa und 30 Kilometer vom Mittelmeer entfernt. Die Stadt gilt mit ihrem spektakulären landschaftlichen Umfeld als eine der schönsten in der Toskana.
Der Kern der heutigen Stadt liegt abgeschieden auf einem 550 m hohen Bergrücken über dem Tal der Cecina (Val di Cecina) inmitten einer kargen, zerfurchten Hügellandschaft. Die Felsabbrüche und Geröllhalden sind das Produkt jahrhundertelanger Erosion. Das Gebiet Le Balze im Nordwesten Volterras vermittelt einen beispielhaften Eindruck dieses Phänomens.
Die Stadt wird beherrscht von einer heute als Staatsgefängnis benutzten Festung der Medici, der Fortezza Medicea. Volterra ist ein Zentrum der Alabasterverarbeitung.
Zu den Ortsteilen (Frazioni) zählen Mazzolla, Montemiccioli, Saline di Volterra und Villamagna.
Die Nachbargemeinden sind Casole d’Elsa (SI), Colle di Val d’Elsa (SI), Gambassi Terme (FI), Lajatico, Montaione (FI), Montecatini Val di Cecina, Peccioli, Pomarance und San Gimignano (SI).
Geschichte
Volterra kann auf eine lange Geschichte zurückblicken. Bereits im 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. entstand der Ort aus der Verbindung mehrerer kleiner etruskischer Ansiedlungen, deren Bestand bis ins 7. Jahrhundert v. Chr. zurückverfolgt werden kann. Zu dieser Zeit bauten die Etrusker eine sieben Kilometer lange Ringmauer und nannten die nunmehr vereinigte Stadt Velathri.
Volterra war eine der ältesten und größten der zwölf Bundesstädte Etruriens. Später war es eine römische Stadt mit den Rechten eines Municipiums. Ihre hohe Lage machte sie zu einer starken Festung, die Sulla im ersten Bürgerkrieg erst nach zweijähriger Belagerung 79 v. Chr. einnehmen konnte.
Im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert war Volterra eine Republik; im 14. Jahrhundert fiel es an Florenz.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Architektonische und künstlerische Zeugnisse der verschiedenen Epochen zeugen von der wechselvollen Existenz und Bedeutung der Stadt. Einige der etruskischen Nekropolen und mittelalterlichen Kirchenmauern sind jedoch in der Vergangenheit der Erosion zum Opfer gefallen.
Am Hauptplatz der Stadt, der Piazza dei Priori, steht der älteste erhaltene Kommunalpalast der Toskana, der Palazzo dei Priori.
Von der etruskischen Stadtmauer ist als einziges Tor die Porta all’Arco gut erhalten. Es stammt aus dem 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. Im äußeren Bogen sind drei verwitterte Köpfe zu erkennen, deren Bedeutung aber umstritten ist.
Außerhalb der mittelalterlichen Porta Fiorentina liegt das Teatro Romano, erbaut zur Zeit des Kaisers Augustus. Von der Zuschauertribüne für etwa 2000 Personen blickt man auf die teilweise rekonstruierte Bühnenwand. Die unterhalb des Theaters liegenden Thermenanlagen stammen aus späterer Zeit.
Andere historische öffentliche Gebäude sind der Dom Santa Maria Assunta aus dem frühen 12. Jahrhundert mit einer Kassettendecke und mit Granit vortäuschender Stuckverkleidung der Säulen sowie etlichen künstlerisch hochrangigen Ausstattungsstücken, das oktogonale Baptisterium mit einem Taufbecken von Andrea Sansovino, der auf Privatpaläste und Wohntürme aus dem 12. und 13. Jahrhundert zurückgehende Palazzo Pretorio sowie der als Gefängnis dienende Torre del Porcellino. Schließlich gehört der Palazzo Incontri-Viti zu den prachtvollsten Gebäuden Volterras.
Unter den Kirchen sind zu nennen: die spätromanische S. Michele sowie die Kirchen von S. Francesco, S. Lino und S. Girolamo mit Bildern und Skulpturen aus der Schule von Florenz.
Museen
Von besonderer Bedeutung ist das archäologische Museo Etrusco Guarnacci im Palazzo Desideri Tangassi. Mario Guarnacci (1701–1785), ein vielseitig interessierter Gelehrter, widmete seine Studien der antiken Geschichte. Dabei konnte er durch Ankäufe und Ausgrabungen eine ansehnliche Menge Belegmaterial über die etruskische Zivilisation sammeln.
Ein bedeutender Teil der Sammlung umfasst Ascheurnen sowie Stücke aus Bronze und Keramik. Die Urnen bestehen aus Tuffstein, Alabaster und Tonerde. Eine der bekanntesten ganz Etruriens ist die Urna degli Sposi (dt. Urne der Brautleute), auf deren Deckel ein Paar beim Festmahl liegend dargestellt ist.
Das bedeutendste Stück der Sammlung ist jedoch die Bronzefigur Ombra della sera (dt. Abendschatten). Es ist mit der Zeit zu einer „Ikone“ für das Museum und die Stadt Volterra geworden. Seine Berühmtheit verdankt es hauptsächlich seiner einzigartigen Form, die den italienischen Dichter Gabriele D’Annunzio an den Schatten einer menschlichen Figur in der Abendsonne erinnert haben soll. Es ist ein Meisterwerk etruskischer Bronzegießer aus der hellenistischen Periode. Ein weiteres bedeutendes Exponat ist die Stele des Avile Tite aus dem 6. Jahrhundert v. Chr.
Weitere Ausstellungsstücke sind verschiedene Mosaikböden aus der römischen Kaiserzeit, die aus Volterra und Segalari stammen. Hinzu kommt eine Münzsammlung mit seltenen etruskischen Münzen aus Gold, Silber und Bronze. Schließlich sind noch mit Edelsteinen verzierte etruskische und römische Schmuckstücke zu sehen.
Wichtig ist die Sammlung der seit 1982 im Minucci-Solaini-Palast untergebrachten „Pinacoteca“ mit der berühmten Kreuzesabnahme (1521), dem Meisterwerk des Malers Rosso Fiorentino, und den bedeutendsten Arbeiten von Taddeo di Bartolo, Domenico Ghirlandaio und Luca Signorelli, welche die künstlerischen Einflüsse aus Pisa, Florenz und Siena anschaulich machen.
Im April 2003 wurde im Turmhaus des Palazzo Minucci-Solaini das Ecomuseo dell’Alabastro eröffnet, in dem die Geschichte der Gewinnung und der Verarbeitung von Alabaster seit der Antike bis zur Gegenwart dargestellt ist.
Volterra in der Literatur
Volterra ist eine wichtige Stadt in Stephenie Meyers „Biss“-Serie. Dort ist Volterra die Heimatstadt der Volturi, einer königlichen Vampirfamilie.
Volterra spielt auch in der von Dudley Pope geschriebenen Romanreihe um den britischen Marineoffizier Nicolas Ramage eine Rolle. Im ersten Band rettet er während der Napoleonischen Kriege die Marchesa von Volterra vor den französischen Besatzungstruppen. Er verliebt sich in sie, und ihre Herrschaft über Volterra spielt in den weiteren Bänden eine wichtige Rolle. Auch ihr Neffe, Paolo Orsini, nächster in der Erbreihenfolge der Regentschaft, kommt in den meisten Romanen vor, da er als Fähnrich unter Ramages Kommando segelt.
(Wikipedia)
Italien / Toskana - Pienza
Pienza (Italian pronunciation: [piˈɛntsa]) is a town and comune in the province of Siena, Tuscany, in the historical region of Val d'Orcia. Situated between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, it is considered the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism".
In 1996, UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage Site, and in 2004 the entire valley, the Val d'Orcia, was included on the list of UNESCO's World Cultural Landscapes.
History
Before the village was renamed Pienza its name was Corsignano. It is first mentioned in documents from the 9th century. Around 1300 parts of the village became property of the Piccolomini family. After Enghelberto d'Ugo Piccolomini had received the fief of Montertari in Val d'Orcia from the emperor Frederick II in 1220. In the 13th century Franciscans settled down in Corsignano.
In 1405 Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini (Italian: Enea Silvio Piccolomini) was born in Corsignano, a Renaissance humanist born into an exiled Sienese family, who later became Pope Pius II. Once he became Pope, Piccolomini had the entire village rebuilt as an ideal Renaissance town and renamed it Pienza ("city of Pius"). Intended as a retreat from Rome, it represents the first application of humanist urban planning concepts, creating an impetus for planning that was adopted in other Italian towns and cities and eventually spread to other European centers.
The rebuilding was done by Florentine architect Bernardo Gambarelli (known as Bernardo Rossellino) who may have worked with the humanist and architect Leon Battista Alberti, although there are no documents to prove it for sure. Alberti was in the employ of the Papal Curia at the time and served as an advisor to Pius. Construction started about 1459. Pope Pius II consecrated the Duomo on 29 August 1462, during his long summer visit. He included a detailed description of the structures in his Commentaries, written during the last two years of his life.
Main sights
Palazzo Piccolomini
The trapezoidal piazza is defined by four buildings. The principal residence, Palazzo Piccolomini, is on the west side. It has three stories, articulated by pilasters and entablature courses, with a twin-lighted cross window set within each bay. This structure is similar to Alberti's Palazzo Rucellai in Florence and other later palaces. Noteworthy is the internal court of the palazzo. The back of the palace, to the south, is defined by loggia on all three floors that overlook an enclosed Italian Renaissance garden with Giardino all'italiana era modifications, and views into the distant landscape of the Val d'Orcia and Pope Pius's beloved Monte Amiata beyond. Below this garden is a vaulted stable that had stalls for 100 horses.
The Duomo
The Duomo (Cathedral), which dominates the center of the piazza, has a facade that is one of the earliest designed in the Renaissance manner. Although the tripartite division is conventional, the use of pilasters and of columns, standing on high dados and linked by arches, was novel for the time. The bell tower, however, has a Germanic flavor as is the layout of the Hallenkirche plan, a "triple-nave" plan where the side aisles are almost as tall as the nave; Pius, before he became pope, served many years in Germany and praised the effects of light admitted into the German hall churches in his Commentari. Works of art in the duomo include five altar paintings from the Sienese School, by Sano di Pietro, Matteo di Giovanni, Vecchietta and Giovanni di Paolo. The Baptistry, dedicated as usual to San Giovanni, is located next to the apse of the church.
Palazzo Vescovile
Pius encouraged cardinals to build palazzi to complete the city. Palazzo Vescovile, on the third side of the piazza, was built by Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, at the time Church Vice Chancellor and the future Pope Alexander VI, to comply with the request by Pope Pius II for the Cardinals to have a residence in the town. It became the residence of the Bishop of Pienza when the town was elevated to a bishopric in 1462. It is now home to the Diocesan Museum,[9] and the Museo della Cattedrale. The collection includes local textile work as well as religious artifacts. Paintings include a 12th-century painted crucifix from the Abbey of San Pietro in Vollore, 14th century works by Pietro Lorenzetti (Madonna with Child) and Bartolo di Fredi (Madonna della Misericordia). There are also important works from the 14th and 15th centuries, including a Madonna attributed to Luca Signorelli.
Palazzo Comunale
Across from the church is the town hall, or Palazzo Comunale. When Corsigniano was given the status of an official city, a Palazzo was required that would be in keeping with the "city's" new urban position, although it was certainly more for show than anything else. It has a three-arched loggia on the ground floor facing the Cathedral and above it is the council chamber. It also has a brick bell tower that is shorter than its counterpart at the cathedral, to symbolize the superior power of the church. The set-back addition to the tower dates from 1599. It is likely that Bernardo Rossellino designed the Palazzo Comunale to be a free standing civic mediator between the religious space before the cathedral and secular market square to its rear.
The travertine well in the Piazza carries the Piccolomini family crest, and was widely copied in Tuscany during the following century. The well-head resembles a fluted, shallow Etruscan Bowl. The flanking Corinthian support a classical entablature columns whose decorations are clearly based upon actual source materials.
Other buildings
Other buildings in Pienza dating from the era of Pius II include the Ammannati Palace, named for Cardinal Jacopo Piccolomini-Ammannati, a "curial row" of three palaces (the Palazzo Jouffroy or Atrebatense belonging to Cardinal Jean Jouffroy of Arras, the Palazzo Buonconti, belonging to Vatican Treasurer Giliforte dei Buonconti, and the Palazzo Lolli constructed by apostolic secretary and papal relative Gregorio Lolli) arranged along the street behind the Bishops Palace. along the main road there are also the Palazzo Gonzaga, built in 1463 by Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga, Palazzo Forteguerri built in 1460 by Ambrogio Fortguerri, Apostolic Treasurer, and the Palazzo of Ambrogio Spannocchi, now Cittadini, again of the XV century. In the northeastern corner of Pienza, in via Casanuova, is a series of Twelve row houses constructed at the orders of the pope by the Sienese building contractor Pietro Paolo da Porrina.
About fifty meters west of the Cathedral Piazza is the church of San Francesco, with a gabled facade and Gothic portal. Among the buildings that survived from the old Corsignano, it is built on a pre-existing church that dated from the 8th century. The interior contains frescoes depicting the life of Saint Francis, those on the walls having been painted by Cristofano di Bindoccio and Meo di Pero, 14th-century artists of the Sienese School.
The Romanesque Pieve of Corsignano is located in the neighbourhood. The monastery of Sant'Anna in Camprena was founded in 1332-1334 by Bernardo Tolomei as a hermitage for the Benedictines; it was remade in the late 15th-early 16th century, and several times in the following centuries. The refectory houses frescoes by il Sodoma (1502–1503).
Monticchiello
The frazione of Monticchiello is home to a characteristic Romitorio, a series of grottoes carved in the rock by hermit monks. In the same locality is the pieve of Santi Leonardo e Cristoforo, rebuilt in the 13th century in Gothic style. The interior has frescoes from a 14th-century Sienese painter, a cyborium in the shape of a small Gothic portal and an alte 15th-century Crucifix. At San Pietro in Campo are the remains of the eponymous abbey.
Monticchiello is the subject of the documentary Spettacolo.
(Wikipedia)
Pienza ist eine italienische Stadt mit 2058 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) im Val d’Orcia (Toskana), gelegen zwischen den Städten Montepulciano und Montalcino.
Allgemeines
Pienzas Altstadt gehört zum Weltkulturerbe
Der Ort liegt in der klimatischen Einordnung italienischer Gemeinden in der Zone E, 2 113 GR/G.
Einziger Ortsteil ist Monticchiello (500 m, ca. 200 Einwohner). Die Nachbargemeinden Pienzas sind Castiglione d’Orcia, Chianciano Terme, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Radicofani, San Quirico d’Orcia, Sarteano, Torrita di Siena und Trequanda.
1996 erklärte die UNESCO das historische Zentrum Pienzas zum Weltkulturerbe; 2004 wurde zudem das ganze Orcia-Tal in die Liste aufgenommen.
Geschichte
Bevor der Ort in Pienza umbenannt wurde, hieß er Corsignano. Im 9. Jahrhundert wurde er erstmals urkundlich erwähnt. Um 1300 gelangten Teile des Ortes in den Besitz der Familie Piccolomini,[4] nachdem Enghelberto d’Ugo Piccolomini von Kaiser Friedrich II. 1220 mit dem Gut Montertari im Orcia-Tal belehnt worden war. Im 13. Jahrhundert ließen sich Franziskaner in Corsignano nieder.
1405 war Corsignano Geburtsort von Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini, Spross einer verbannten Sieneser Familie und später Papst unter dem Namen Pius II. Als Pontifex Maximus begann Pius, der sich in der Tradition antiker Stadtgründer sah, mit dem Ausbau des Ortes zu einer „idealen Stadt“ und benannte diese nach sich selbst („Pi“-us II.) in Pienza um. Das gilt als ein erstes Beispiel einer so genannten humanistischen Stadtplanung – eine Anregung, die andere italienische Städte aufnahmen und die sich schließlich über ganz Europa verbreitete.
Die Umgestaltung wurde vom Florentiner Architekten Bernardo Rossellino 1459 begonnen, und innerhalb von drei Jahren wurden die Hauptbauten fertiggestellt. Durch den Tod Pius II. im Jahre 1464 wurde die Gesamtplanung jedoch nicht vollkommen verwirklicht. Rossellino entwarf den neuen Stadtplatz, die Piazza Comunale und die sie flankierenden vier Hauptbauten: den Dom und das Rathaus (Palazzo Pubblico, auch Palazzo Comunale genannt) sowie die beiden Palazzi Vescovile und Piccolomini. Ersterer wurde Wohnsitz von Kardinal Rodrigo Borgia, dem späteren Papst Alexander VI. Der Palazzo Piccolomini war Wohnsitz der Familie Pius II., ein vom Florentiner Palazzo Rucellai inspiriertes Gebäude und zugleich das größte und wohl schönste am Platz. Den neuen Dom hat Pius II. am 29. August 1462 geweiht.
Von allen Seiten führen Straßen auf die Piazza Comunale, wobei jeder Standort wechselvolle, harmonische Perspektiven auf die Gebäude bietet und weite Ausblicke in die Szenerie des umliegenden Orcia-Tals gewährt. Der Travertin-Brunnen auf der Piazza, durch seine Aufstellung vor dem Palazzo Piccolomini die bewusste Asymmetrie des Platzes stärkend, trägt das Familienwappen der Piccolominis und wurde in den folgenden Jahrhunderten Vorbild vieler toskanischer Brunnen.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Der Dom von Pienza wurde von Rossellino zwischen 1459 und 1462 als dreischiffige Hallenkirche mit Umgangschor errichtet. Trotz seiner Renaissance-Fassade ist das Gotteshaus an typischen Bauten der nordalpinen Gotik orientiert, was den zahlreichen Reisen des späteren Papstes Pius II. unter anderem auch in deutsche Länder zu danken ist. Im dreischiffigen Inneren belegen Bündelsäulen und toskanische Kapitelle, wie die Übersetzung eines gotischen Raumkonzepts in die Formensprache der Frührenaissance gelungen ist. Das einer Krypta ähnliche Baptisterium findet sich unter der Apsis; in Teilen entstammt es noch seinem ursprünglich romanischen Vorgängerbau.
Es gibt ein Museo della Cattedrale im Dom. Das Diözesan-Museum im Palazzo Vescovile zeigt sowohl lokale Textilarbeiten als auch religiöse Werke. Drei Wandteppiche mit religiösen Darstellungen sind zu sehen; sie sind Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts in Flandern entstanden und gelangten durch die Piccolominis nach Pienza. In der Gemäldesammlung ist mit Christus am Kreuz („La Croce“) eine Arbeit des 7. Jahrhunderts zu finden. Weiterhin zeigt die Ausstellung Bildnisse von Pietro Lorenzetti (Madonna mit dem Kind) und Bartolo di Fredi (Gnadenmadonna, „Madonna della Misericordia“), allesamt aus dem 14. Jahrhundert. Unter den weiteren Werken des 14. und 15. Jahrhunderts ragt besonders eine Madonnendarstellung heraus, die Luca Signorelli zugeschrieben wird.
Die Kirche von San Francesco, mit Giebelfassade und gotischem Portal, ist eines der wenigen Gebäude, das noch aus der Zeit des alten Corsignano stammen. Sie ist auf den Grundmauern einer Kirche des 8. Jahrhunderts errichtet. Im Inneren befinden sich Fresken aus dem 14. Jahrhundert, von Cristofano di Bindoccio und Meo di Pero, Künstlern der Sieneser Schule, die das Leben des heiligen Franziskus zeigen. Das wertvolle alte Kircheninventar – etwa das mit Tempera gemalte Tafelkreuz von Segna di Bonaventura – ist inzwischen im Diözesan-Museum untergebracht.
Weiterhin sind die Palazzi Ammannati (auch Jouffroy), Gonzaga Simonelli und der Palazzo del Cardinale Atrebatense erwähnenswert, die alle aus dem 15. Jahrhundert stammen.
In der Nähe befindet sich mit der Pieve di Corsignano eines der wichtigsten romanischen Monumente der Gegend.
Die südwestlich gelegene Terrapille dient Fotografen aus aller Welt als toskana-typisches Postkartenmotiv. 1999 war sie zudem einer der Drehorte für den Film Gladiator. Der Domplatz sowie der Palazzo Piccolomini dienten 1968 als Drehorte der 1969 mit zwei Oscars ausgezeichneten Verfilmung von Shakespeares Romeo und Julia. Regie führte Franco Zeffirelli.
Wirtschaft
Pienza ist Sitz von Bottega Verde, der größten Kosmetikkette Italiens.
Auf dem Gemeindegebiet liegen Rebflächen für Weine mit einer „geschützten Herkunftsbezeichnung“: „Orcia DOC“ und „Chianti DOCG“.
(Wikipedia)
The End of the World (1502) - Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral
La presente raffigurazione si trova sulla parete d’ingresso, che la rende particolarmente angusta per via dell’arco di accesso.
A destra, nella zona bassa, appare la sibilla Eritrea insieme al profeta Davide, mentre consulta il proprio libro profetico, confermando le predizioni e l’arrivo del “Dies irae”. Intanto dietro di essi appaiono le scene di un tempio che cade sotto la scossa di un terremoto e di briganti che, spogliando tre fanciulli, esultano all’anarchia.
Sullo sfondo un enorme maremoto sballotta le imbarcazioni e crea bibliche onde che si dovranno abbattere sulla città. Nel cielo, che sembra chiaro, appaiono il sole (in alto) e la luna (in basso, sulla destra) sinistramente impalliditi. Sul lato sinistro appaiono gli iniziali eventi sovrannaturali, mentre sullo sfondo si stanno moltiplicando omicidi e guerre.
This depiction is on the entrance wall, which makes it particularly cramped because of the access arch.
On the right, in the lower part, the sibyl Erythrae appears together with the prophet David, while consulting their prophetic book, confirming the predictions and the arrival of the "Dies irae". Meanwhile behind them appear the scenes of a temple that falls under the shock of an earthquake and brigands who, stripping three children, exult in anarchy.
In the background, an enormous tidal wave rocks the boats and creates biblical waves that will have to crash on the city. In the seemingly clear sky, the sun (above) and moon (below, on the right) appear sinisterly pale. On the left side, the initial supernatural events appear, while in the background murders and wars are multiplying.
Damned to the hell - frescoes Luca Signorelli (1500 approximately) Chapel of San Brizio, Cathedral of Orvieto
La seconda lunetta sulla parete destra mostra i Dannati all'Inferno. Fu la prima ad essere dipinta ed è una delle più riuscite in termini di immediatezza dell'immagine: colpisce infatti il brulichio di corpi umani nudi e demoni dalle membra colorate. Si tratta della scena più ricca di invenzioni grottesche, scherzi, allusioni erotiche e salaci trovate.
Un dettaglio famoso è quello del demone volante che porta sulle spalle una prosperosa peccatrice e guarda indietro verso di lei ghignando, evidentemente soddisfatto della preda.
The second lunette on the right wall shows the Damned in Hell. It was the first to be painted and is one of the most successful in terms of immediacy of the image: in fact, the swarming of naked human bodies and demons with colored limbs is striking. It is the richest scene of grotesque inventions, jokes, erotic allusions and salacious gimmicks.
A famous detail is that of the flying demon who carries on his shoulders a prosperous sinner and looks back at her sneering, evidently satisfied with his prey.
Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Stories of St Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - about 1505
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Preaching and facts of the Antichrist (1502) - Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral
L’Anticristo è la prima raffigurazione del ciclo, che si incontra subito a sinistra dopo l’ingresso nel duomo.
Per il tema trattato e per come esso viene svolto nella presente composizione, il riquadro costituisce un caso unico nella Storia dell’arte italiana. Una raffigurazione a carattere monumentale tratta dal “De ortu et tempore Antichristi” – testo variamente attribuito, allora fortemente legato alla tormentosa attesa del secondo millennio – e dalla Leggenda Aurea.
L’avvento di falsi Messia, inoltre, lo troviamo negli scritti profetici sugli Ultimi Giorni del Vangelo secondo Matteo.
L’Anticristo viene raffigurato da Signorelli in primo piano mentre predica alla folla da sopra un piedistallo. Esso, nelle fattezze, è simile a Gesù Cristo ma viene mosso dal demone che sta al suo fianco e che gli detta precisi ordini all’orecchio, guidandogli i gesti in modo assai disarticolato, come se fosse inanimato (si noti a tal proposito il braccio sinistro di Satana che si sostituisce completamente a quello dell’Anticristo). Esso è attorniato da molta gente, dislocata in vari gruppi, che ha offerto lussuosi doni e generose elargizioni, apparendo già irrimediabilmente corrotta dai suoi discorsi.
Nella zona a sinistra appaiono scene di grande degrado: un uomo sta compiendo un’efferata strage, una giovane donna sta ricevendo soldi dopo essersi prostituita con un anziano mercante, mentre altre figure di basso rango sono in atteggiamenti di pura spavalderia.
The Antichrist is the first representation of the cycle, which is encountered immediately to the left after entering the cathedral.
For the treated theme and for how it is developed in the present composition, the panel constitutes a unique case in the History of the Italian art. A representation of monumental character taken from the "De ortu et tempore Antichristi" - text variously attributed, then strongly tied to the tormenting wait of the second millennium - and from the Golden Legend.
The advent of false Messiahs, moreover, we find in the prophetic writings on the Last Days of the Gospel according to Matthew.
The Antichrist is depicted by Signorelli in the foreground while preaching to the crowd from a pedestal. It, in features, is similar to Jesus Christ but is moved by the demon who is at his side and who dictates precise orders in his ear, guiding his gestures in a very disjointed way, as if he were inanimate (note in this regard the left arm of Satan that completely replaces that of the Antichrist). He is surrounded by many people, dislocated in various groups, who have offered luxurious gifts and generous handouts, already appearing irreparably corrupted by his speeches.
In the area to the left there are scenes of great degradation: a man is committing a brutal massacre, a young woman is receiving money after prostituting herself with an elderly merchant, while other figures of low rank are in attitudes of pure bravado.
Italien / Toskana - Montepulciano
Santa Maria Assunta seen from the tower of the Palazzo Comunale.
Santa Maria Assunta gesehen vom Turm des Palazzo Comunale.
Montepulciano (Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a 605-metre (1,985 ft) limestone ridge, 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of Pienza, 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Siena, 124 kilometres (77 mi) southeast of Florence, and 186 kilometres (116 mi) north of Rome by car.
Montepulciano is a wine-producing region. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita status and is, with the Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico, one of the principal red wines of Tuscany. The Rosso di Montepulciano and Vin Santo di Montepulciano have Denominazione di origine controllata status.
History
According to legend, it was founded by the Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Clusium (modern Chiusi). Recent findings prove that a settlement was in existence in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. In Roman times it was the seat of a garrison guarding the main roads of the area.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it developed as a religious center under the Lombards. In the 12th century it was repeatedly attacked by the Republic of Siena, which the Poliziani faced with the help of the Perugia and Orvieto, and sometimes Florence, communes. The 14th century was characterized by constant struggles between the local noble families, until the Del Pecora family became rulers of the town. From 1390, Montepulciano was a loyal ally (and later possession) of Florence and, until the mid-16th century, lived a period of splendour with architects such as Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Ippolito Scalza and others, building luxurious residences and other edifices here. In 1559, when Siena was conquered by Florence and Montepulciano lost its strategic role, its importance declined.
After the unification of Italy and the drying of the Val di Chiana, the town remained the most important agricultural centre in the area, while the industrial activities moved mostly next to Chiusi, which was nearer to the railroad being built in that period.
A competitive "barrel race through the city" called the Bravio delle botti has been held on the last Sunday of August since the 14th Century.
Main sights
Since the Second World War, tourism has been a significant aspect in the economy of the urban part of the commune. Many of the streets are designated as car-free. Most of the shops and restaurants are on the main street, which stretches from Porta Al Prato to Piazza Grande[6] for 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi).
The main landmarks include:
Palazzo Comunale: city hall designed by Michelozzo recalling the Palazzo della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio) of Florence.
Palazzo Tarugi, attributed to Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. It is entirely in travertine, with a portico which was once open to the public.
Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, or the Duomo of Montepulciano, constructed between 1594 and 1680, includes a masterpiece from the Sienese School, a massive Assumption of the Virgin triptych painted by Taddeo di Bartolo in 1401.
Santa Maria delle Grazie: late 16th-century) church with a simple Mannerist façade with a three-arcade portico. The interior has a single nave, and houses a precious terracotta altar by Andrea della Robbia.
Madonna di San Biagio Sanctuary: church, located on the road to Chianciano outside the city, it is a typical 16th century Tuscan edifice, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder on a pre-existing Pieve, between 1518 and 1545. It has a circular (central) plan with a large dome over a terrace and a squared tambour. The exterior, with two bell towers, is built in white travertine.
Santa Lucia: Baroque church with altarpiece by Luca Signorelli.
Museo Civico di Montepulciano: located in the Palazzo Neri Orselli, displaying a collection of archeologic items, paintings, and terracotta works by the Della Robbia family.
(Wikipedia)
Santa Maria Assunta is a cathedral and principal place of worship in Montepulciano. The cathedral was consecrated in 1712. Among the artworks in the cathedral is an Assumption of the Virgin triptych on the high altar painted by Taddeo di Bartolo in 1401, which includes a self portrait as the apostle Thaddeus.
(Wikipedia)
Montepulciano ist eine Kleinstadt mit 13.691 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) in der italienischen Region Toskana und gehört zur Provinz Siena.
Geografie
Montepulciano liegt ca. 45 km südöstlich der Provinzhauptstadt Siena und ca. 86 km südöstlich der Regionalhauptstadt Florenz zwischen dem Val di Chiana und dem Val d’Orcia. Lage und Bau der Stadt sind pittoresk. Die Stadt liegt auf der Kuppe eines rund 600 m hohen Hügels und ist von einer mittelalterlichen Stadtmauer umgeben.
Zu den Ortsteilen gehören Abbadia, Acquaviva, Gracciano, Montepulciano Stazione, Sant’Albino und Valiano.
Die Nachbargemeinden sind Castiglione del Lago (PG), Chianciano Terme, Chiusi, Cortona (AR), Pienza und Torrita di Siena.
Geschichte
Die Geschichte Montepulcianos lässt sich bis ins Jahr 715 v. Chr. zurückverfolgen, also bis mitten in die Etruskerzeit. Der Ort unterlag bis 1202 dem Schutz Sienas, erklärte sich dann für Florenz und wechselte anschließend noch mehrfach die Herrschaft, bis er Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts endgültig florentinisch wurde. 1561 wurde die Stadt Bischofssitz.
Montepulciano ist der Geburtsort des Humanisten und Poeten Angelo Ambrogini (1454–1494), der als Poliziano bekannt wurde und als Hauslehrer und Freund von Lorenzo il Magnifico den Zeitgeist der Renaissance mitprägte. Ein weiterer Sohn der Stadt ist Kardinal Bellarmino (1542–1621).
Im Zweiten Weltkrieg hatte die deutsche Wehrmacht als Vergeltung von Partisanenangriffen bereits die Zerstörung der historischen Altstadt angeordnet. Dies konnte vom Grafen Origo und seiner Frau, der Schriftstellerin Iris Origo („Toskanisches Tagebuch“), in letzter Minute verhindert werden. Gesprengt wurde lediglich das Osttor „Porta al Prato“.
Am 7. Juni 2016 vereinbarten Vertreter des Partito Democratico aus Montepulciano und Torrita di Siena, die in ihren Gemeinden eine klare Mehrheit haben, eine Fusion beider Gemeinden in die Wege zu leiten. Dies wurde im November 2018 in einem Referendum abgelehnt.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Die meisten der Gebäude der Altstadt stammen aus der Zeit der Renaissance. Älter sind die Burg, der Palazzo Pubblico aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und das Portal der Kirche Santa Maria (13. Jahrhundert). Es gibt eine Reihe von schönen Privathäusern, von denen einige von Antonio da Sangallo dem Älteren (1455–1534) und Baldassare Peruzzi (1481–1536), andere von Vignola (1507–1573) erbaut wurden.
Die Kirche Madonna di San Biagio – wahrscheinlich das Meisterwerk Sangallos – wurde 1518 bis 1537 gebaut.
Die Kathedrale von Bartolomeo Ammanati (1570), verändert von Ippolito Scalza, und vollendet 1680 (mit Ausnahme der Fassade, die immer noch unvollendet ist) beherbergt einen großen Altar von Taddeo di Bartolo von Siena, und die Fragmente eines imposanten Monuments, das 1427–1436 von dem Florentiner Architekten Michelozzo zu Ehren von Bartolomeo Aragazzi, dem Sekretär Papst Martins V., errichtet wurde, und das im 18. Jahrhundert abgerissen wurde. Die Fassade der Kirche Sant’Agostino ist wahrscheinlich ebenso Michelozzos Werk.
Sehenswert ist auch das aufwendig restaurierte Museo comunale mit der Gemäldesammlung Crociani. Unten im Val di Chiana befindet sich am Lago di Montepulciano ein Naturkundemuseum, das an die Jahrhunderte erinnert, in denen das Tal ein riesiger See und Sumpf war.
Tourismus
Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen
Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte: das Musikfestival, dessen Initiator 1976 der deutsche Komponist Hans Werner Henze war, findet jährlich von Ende Juli bis Anfang August statt.
Europäische Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst: Meisterkurse der Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln in Zusammenarbeit mit der Europäischen Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst finden jährlich mit ihren wöchentlichen Abschlusskonzerten im Palazzo Ricci statt.
Bruscello: ist ein Bauerntheater mit Musik; es findet jedes Jahr zu Ferragosto (am 15. August) statt.
Bravio delle Botti: ein Wettkampf der acht Stadtteile, bei dem Weinfässer den Berg hoch gerollt werden müssen; er findet jedes Jahr am letzten Sonntag im August statt
Tourismus
Neben Weinkennern kommen auch viele Musikliebhaber nach Montepulciano (siehe Abschnitt Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen).
In den letzten Jahren war Montepulciano wiederholt Schauplatz preisgekrönter Spielfilme wie „Der englische Patient“, „Heaven“ oder „Ein Sommernachtstraum“ und „New Moon – Bis(s) zur Mittagsstunde“ mit Robert Pattinson und Kristen Stewart.
Weinbau
Böden, Lagen und Klima der Gegend begünstigen den Weinbau, durch den der Ort bekannt geworden ist. Der Rotwein hat einen „noblen“ Namen: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, dessen Name aber mit dem Wein Montepulciano d’Abruzzo aus den Marken und Abruzzen verwechselt werden könnte. Die Winzer von Montepulciano machen den Unterschied in den Rebsorten, in der Haltbarkeit und in der Qualität und orientieren sich dabei an den toskanischen Nachbarn aus Montalcino. Der einfachere Wein aus Montepulciano wird Rosso di Montepulciano genannt.
(Wikipedia)
il Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - As Benedict prayed by the monks produces water from the top of a mountain
il Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Benoît fait jaillir une source au sommet de la montagne
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Les épisodes de la Vie de saint Benoît de Monte Oliveto Maggiore composent un cycle de fresques du cloître principal de l'abbaye bénédictine de Monte Oliveto Maggiore (commune d'Asciano, dans la province de Sienne), réalisé par Luca Signorelli (huit fresques), qui y travailla de 1497 à 1498, et par Le Sodoma, qui compléta le cycle à partir de 1505 avec les vingt-six fresques manquantes. Une scène (Benoît envoie Maur en France et Placide en Sicile) a été repeinte par Riccio.
Il s'agit de la description picturale la plus complète de la vie de saint Benoît de Nursie (né vers 480-490, mort en 547), composée au total de trente-cinq scènes basées sur le récit du pape Grégoire le Grand.
La vie de Benoît se déroule entre les derniers soubresauts de l'Empire romain d'Occident et les invasions barbares, fournissant à l'imagination des peintres qui l'ont mise en scène un fond historique stimulant et bariolé.
(wikipedia)
portrait of Dante and scenes from Purgatory (1499-1502) by Luca Signorelli - Chapel of San Brizio - Cathedral of Orvieto
The End of the World (1502) - Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral
La presente raffigurazione si trova sulla parete d’ingresso, che la rende particolarmente angusta per via dell’arco di accesso.
A destra, nella zona bassa, appare la sibilla Eritrea insieme al profeta Davide, mentre consulta il proprio libro profetico, confermando le predizioni e l’arrivo del “Dies irae”. Intanto dietro di essi appaiono le scene di un tempio che cade sotto la scossa di un terremoto e di briganti che, spogliando tre fanciulli, esultano all’anarchia.
Sullo sfondo un enorme maremoto sballotta le imbarcazioni e crea bibliche onde che si dovranno abbattere sulla città. Nel cielo, che sembra chiaro, appaiono il sole (in alto) e la luna (in basso, sulla destra) sinistramente impalliditi. Sul lato sinistro appaiono gli iniziali eventi sovrannaturali, mentre sullo sfondo si stanno moltiplicando omicidi e guerre.
This depiction is on the entrance wall, which makes it particularly cramped because of the access arch.
On the right, in the lower part, the sibyl Erythrae appears together with the prophet David, while consulting their prophetic book, confirming the predictions and the arrival of the "Dies irae". Meanwhile behind them appear the scenes of a temple that falls under the shock of an earthquake and brigands who, stripping three children, exult in anarchy.
In the background, an enormous tidal wave rocks the boats and creates biblical waves that will have to crash on the city. In the seemingly clear sky, the sun (above) and moon (below, on the right) appear sinisterly pale. On the left side, the initial supernatural events appear, while in the background murders and wars are multiplying.
PLEASE, no multi invitations, glitters or self promotion in your comments. My photos are FREE for anyone to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know. Thanks
No pictures are allowed in the Sistine Chapel, they just appeared in the camera..... (I have to upload 3 sets)
One of the most famous places in the world, the Sistine Chapel is the site where the conclave for the election of the popes and other solemn pontifical ceremonies are held. Built between 1475 and 1481, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned it.
The frescoes on the long walls illustrate parallel events in the Lives of Moses and Christ and constitute a complex of extraordinary interest executed between 1481 and 1483 by Perugino, Botticelli, Cosimo Rosselli and Domenico Ghirlandaio, with their respective groups of assistants, who included Pinturicchio, Piero di Cosimo and others; later Luca Signorelli also joined the group.
The barrel-vaulted ceiling is entirely covered by the famous frescoes which Michelangelo painted between 1508 and 1512 for Julius II. The original design was only to have represented the Apostles, but was modified at the artist's insistence to encompass an enormously complex iconographic theme which may be synthesized as the representation of mankind waiting for the coming of the Messiah. More than twenty years later, Michelangelo was summoned back by Paul III (1534-49) to paint the Last Judgement on the wall behind the altar. He worked on it from 1536 to 1541.
The Doni Tondo or Doni Madonna, is the only finished panel painting by the mature Michelangelo to survive. (Two other panel paintings, generally agreed to be by Michelangelo but unfinished, The Entombment and the so-called Manchester Madonna, are both in the National Gallery in London.) Now in the Uffizi in Florence, Italy, and still in its original frame, the Doni Tondo was probably commissioned by Agnolo Doni to commemorate his marriage to Maddalena Strozzi, the daughter of a powerful Tuscan family. The painting is in the form of a tondo, meaning in Italian, 'round', a shape which is frequently associated during the Renaissance with domestic ideas.
The work was probably created during the period after Doni's marriage in 1503 or 1504, and before the Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes were begun in 1508. The Doni Tondo portrays the Holy Family (the child Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) in the foreground, along with John the Baptist in the middle-ground, and contains five nude male figures in the background. The inclusion of these nude figures has been interpreted in a variety of ways.
Mary is the most prominent figure in the composition, taking up much of the center of the image. She sits directly on the ground without a cushion between herself and the grass, to better communicate the theme of her relationship to the earth. Joseph is positioned higher in the image than Mary, although this is an unusual feature in compositions of the Holy Family. Mary is seated between his legs, as if he is protecting her, his great legs forming a kind of de facto throne. There is some debate as to whether Mary is receiving the Child from Joseph or vice versa. Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence, is very commonly included in Florentine works depicting the Madonna and Child. He is in the middle-ground of the painting, between the Holy Family and the background. The scene appears to be a rural one, with the Holy Family enjoying themselves on the grass and separated from the curiously (seemingly) unrelated group at the back by a low wall.
The painting is still in its original frame, one that Michelangelo might have influenced or helped design. The frame is ornately carved and rather unusual for the five heads it contains which protrude three-dimensionally into space. Similar to the nudes of the background, the meanings of these heads has been the subject of speculation. The frame also contains carvings of crescent moons, stars, vegetation, and lions’ heads. These symbols are, perhaps, references to the Doni and Strozzi families, taken from each one's coat of arms. As depicted on the frame, “the moons are bound together with ribbons that interlock with the lions,” possibly referring to the marriage of the two families.
There is a horizontal band, possibly a wall , separating the foreground and background. The background figures are five nudes, whose meaning and function are subject to much speculation and debate. Because they are much closer to us, the viewers, the Holy Family is much larger than the nudes in the background, a device to aid the illusion of deep space in a two-dimensional image. Behind Saint John the Baptist is a semi-circular ridge, against which the 'ignudi' are leaning, or upon which they are sitting. This semi-circle reflects or mirrors the circular shape of the painting itself and acts as a foil to the vertical nature of the principal group (the Holy family). Mary and Joseph gaze at Christ, but none of the background nudes looks directly at him. The far background contains a mountainous landscape rendered in atmospheric perspective.
The Doni Tondo is believed to be the only existing panel picture Michelangelo painted without the aid of assistants; and, unlike his Manchester Madonna and Entombment (both National Gallery, London), the attribution to him has never been questioned. The juxtaposition of bright colors foreshadows the same use of color in Michelangelo's later Sistine Ceiling frescoes. The folds of the drapery are sharply modelled, and the modelling of the figures is distinctly sculptural, suggesting they are carved in medium marble. The nude figures in the background have softer modelling and look to be precursors to the ignudi, the male nude figures in the Sistine Ceiling frescoes. Michelangelo's technique includes shading from the most intense colors first to the lighter shades on top, using the darker colors as shadows. By applying the pigment in a certain way, Michelangelo created an "unfocused" effect in the background and focused detail in the foreground. The most vibrant color is located within the Virgin's garments, signifying her importance within the image. The masculinity of Mary could be explained by Michelangelo's use of male models for female figures, as was done for the Sistine Chapel.
Michelangelo used a limited palette of pigments comprising Lead White, Azurite, Verdigris and a few others. He avoided ochres and used very little vermilion.
The composition is, most likely, partially influenced by the cartoon (a term referring to a detailed later-stage preliminary drawing) for Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin and Child with St. Anne. Michelangelo's Holy Family forms a tight, separated group in the centre foreground of the image, with the Virgin's figure constructing a typical Renaissance pyramid or triangle. Michelangelo saw the drawing in 1501 while in Florence working on the David.
The nude figures in the tondo background are said to have been influenced by the statue of Laocoön and His Sons, found in Rome in 1506, therefore dating Michelangelo's picture later than that date.
The Doni Tondo is also associated with Luca Signorelli’s Medici Madonna in the Uffizi. Michelangelo probably knew of the work and its ideas, and he wanted to incorporate those ideas into his own work. Signorelli's Madonna similarly uses a tondo form, depicts nude male figures in the background, and displays the Virgin sitting directly on the earth.
Three aspects of the painting can be attributed to an antique sardonyx cameo and a 15th-century relief from the circle of Donatello, available to Michelangelo in the Palazzo Medici: the circular form, the masculinity of Mary, and the positioning of the Christ Child. The Virgin's right arm mirrors the arm of the satyr in the cameo, and the cameo also depicts an infant located on the shoulders of the satyr, a position similar to the Christ Child being passed over the right arm of Mary.
Additionally, some scholars suggest that Michelangelo was inspired by the famous Greco-Roman group of Laocoön and His Sons, excavated in 1506 in Rome, an event at which Michelangelo is believed to have been present . The pose of the nude figure in the background immediately behind Saint Joseph, to our right, appears to have been influenced by the twisting contortions of the figures captured by the serpent in the Laocoön (again, if this were so, it would alter the date of the Doni Tondo by several years).
Furthermore, the inclusion of the five protruding heads in the paintings frame is often seen as a reference to a similar motif found on Ghiberti's Porta del Paradiso, the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistry which Michelangelo is known to have greatly admired.
The plant in front of John the Baptist has aspects of both hyssop and cornflower, yet is most likely a hyssop because it grows from a wall. Cornflower is an attribute of Christ and symbolizes Heaven while hyssop symbolizes both the humility of Christ and baptism. There is a citron tree in the background, which represents the Cedar of Lebanon. Michelangelo uses the hyssop and tree as a visual representation of a quote by Rabanus Maurus, "From the Cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop which grows on a stony wall we have an explanation of the Divinity which Christ has in his Father and of the humanity that he derives from the Virgin Mary." The clover in the foreground represents the Trinity and salvation. The anemone plant represents the Trinity and the Passion of Christ.
There is a multitude of interpretations for the various parts of the work. Most interpretations differ in defining the relationship between the Holy Family and the figures in the background.
Paul Barolsky argues that the Doni Tondo is a "devotional image […] more than an example of style, symbolism, [or] iconography". Barolsky bases much of his thesis on the language used by Giorgio Vasari in his work Lives of the Most Excellent Italian Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, from Cimabue to Our Times. His support for the idea of devotion comes from Christ being presented in the painting like a gift, which he links to the painting's patron due to a perceived pun on the Italian word for "gift," "donare," and the patron's name, Doni (meaning literally, in Italian, 'gifts'). Furthering the Christ-as-gift metaphor, Mary's holding of Christ in the painting is seen to reference the elevating of the host during mass. Mirella D’Ancona argues that the image reflects Michelangelo's views on the roles of the members of the Holy Family in human salvation and the soul's immortality. The Virgin's placement and emphasis is due to her role in human salvation. She is both the mother of Christ and the best intercessor for appealing to him. Michelangelo, who had been strongly influenced by the Dominican Fra Girolamo Savonarola in Florence, is using the picture to defend the Maculist point of view, a philosophy of the Dominican order rejecting the idea of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The Maculist view is that the Virgin did not receive her sanctification at birth but at the moment of the incarnation of Christ; thus, the image depicts the moment of Mary's sanctification by showing the Christ Child blessing her. Michelangelo depicts Christ as if he is growing out of Mary's shoulder to take human form, one leg hanging limply and the other not visible at all, therefore making him a part of Mary. Moreover, his muscles and balance convey an upward movement, as if he is growing out of her, although he is above Mary, asserting his superiority to her. Furthermore, she argues that the nudes are to be interpreted as sinners who have removed their clothes for cleansing and purification through baptism. The water, which separates the sinners from the Holy Family, just beyond the horizontal band in the middle of the painting, can therefore be seen as the “waters of separation” mentioned in the Bible. She also argues that the five figures may represent the five parts of the soul: the higher soul (soul and intellect) on the left and the lower soul (imagination, sensation, and nourishing faculty) on the right, a visual depiction of the views of Marsilio Ficino, whom Michelangelo references in other works. Additionally, in looking at them as separate groupings, she suggests that the two figures on Mary's right represents the human and divine natures of Christ, while the three on her left represent the Trinity.
Andrée Hayum argues that the commissioning of the tondo by the Doni family helped to emphasize the "secular and domestic ideals" of the painting rather than seeing it as a "devotional object." In choosing a tondo as the format for the picture, Michelangelo is referencing the form's long association with depicting the "Adoration of the Magi, the Nativity, [and] the Madonna and Child." Hayum also finds many allusions to Noah throughout the work. She posits a referencing of the Madonna to Noah's daughter-in-law, a sibyl, which thus makes Joseph an embodiment of Noah himself. Hayum further supports this by acknowledging the direct link between Joseph and Noah as depicted in Michelangelo's Sistine Ceiling paintings. This link to Noah also gives an explanation to the nudes in the background, whose forms may have inspired the sons in the Drunkenness of Noah. The allusion to the Noah story also brings up themes of baptismal water, thus giving rise to an interpretation of the nudes similar to D’Ancona's: "catechumens awaiting baptism" from John the Baptist, whose "isolation within a pit-like space" indicates his special role as baptizer.
Roberta Olson states that the painting depicts the "importance of the family" and is related to "Doni’s hoped-for descendants." One of the ways in which the painting depicts a "good marriage" is by the seemingly "reciprocal action" of the handling of Jesus between Joseph and Mary. Much importance is given to Joseph by way of the colors of his clothes: yellow, indicating the divine aspect of the family as well as "truth," and purple, standing for royal lineage tracing from the House of David. Additionally, Joseph is important to the painting by referencing the middle name of the "Doni’s third child who lived beyond infancy." The theme of baptism is also suggested on the painting's frame through a possible reference to Ghiberti's Porta del Paradiso - being one of the three sets of doors of the Florentine Baptistry (two of which by Ghiberti) - the sculpted details indirectly referring to the rite of Baptism, important for the Donis and their desire for a child as the product of a good marriage, exemplified by the Holy Family, perhaps one reason behind the commissioning of the work.
The Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, from whom it derives its name, in 1475. It was designed to be - and still is - the pope's chapel and the site of papal elections. The Sistine Chapel was consecrated and dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin on August 15, 1483.
In 1481 Sixtus IV called to Rome the Florentine painters Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli and the Perugian Pietro Perugino to decorate the walls with frescoes. Luca Signorelli may have also been involved in the decoration. The fresco project took only 11 months, from July 1481 to May 1482.
The Sistine ceiling was originally painted by Piero Matteo d'Amelia, who included a star-spangled sky. But in 1508 Pope Julius II della Rovere commissioned Michelangelo to repaint the ceiling.
Michelangelo was called away from his work on the pope's own tomb and was he not happy about the change. He had always insisted he was a sculptor and was contemptuous of fresco painting. The result are glorious depictions of human bodies that could only be created by a sculptor, and the project Michelangelo hated so much (at least at first) ironically became his most well-known work.
Michelangelo was asked to paint the Twelve Apostles and a few ornaments on the ceiling of the chapel. But as he began work on the project, Michelangelo conceived grander designs and ended up painting more than 300 figures.
He worked on the project between 1508 and October 31, 1512, in cramped conditions high on a scaffolding and under continous pressure from the pope to hurry up. The project would permanently damage the artist's eyesight.
Michelangelo was in his 60s when he was called back to the chapel, again against his wishes, to paint The Last Judgment (1535-1541) on the altar wall. The work was commissioned by Pope Clement VII (1523-1534) shortly before his death, and Clement's successor, Pope Paul III Farnese (1534-1549), forced Michelangelo to complete it quickly. It was the largest fresco of the century and is still an unquestioned masterpiece.
For important ceremonies, the lowest portions of the Sistine Chapel's side walls were covered with a series of tapestries depicting events from the Gospels and Acts. These were designed by Raphael and woven in 1515-19 at Brussels.
In recent decades, the Sistine Chapel has been carefully cleaned and restored, beginning with the 15th-century wall frescoes in 1965. The cleaning and restoration of the lunettes, the ceiling and the Last Judgment, a painstaking process using computer analysis, lasted from 1980 to 1994. The restoration included removing several of the "modesty" drapes that had been added over some of the nude figures.
The end result of the restoration has been controversial: Critics say a vital second layer of paint was removed, and argue that many of the restored figures seem flat compared with the originals, which had more shadow and detail. Others have hailed the project for saving Michelangelo's masterpiece for future generations to appreciate and for revealing the vibrancy of his color palette.
Italien / Toskana - Volterra
Volterra (Italian pronunciation: [volˈtɛrra]; Latin: Volaterrae) is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.
History
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri or Vlathri and to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy. The town was a Bronze Age settlement of the Proto-Villanovan culture, and an important Etruscan center (Velàthre, Velathri or Felathri in Etruscan, Volaterrae in Latin language), one of the "twelve cities" of the Etruscan League.
The site is believed to have been continuously inhabited as a city since at least the end of the 8th century BC. It became a municipium allied to Rome at the end of the 3rd century BC. The city was a bishop's residence in the 5th century, and its episcopal power was affirmed during the 12th century. With the decline of the episcopate and the discovery of local alum deposits, Volterra became a place of interest of the Republic of Florence, whose forces conquered Volterra. Florentine rule was not always popular, and opposition occasionally broke into rebellion. These rebellions were put down by Florence.
When the Republic of Florence fell in 1530, Volterra came under the control of the Medici family and later followed the history of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Culture
The main events that take place during the year in Volterra are
Volterra gusto
Volterra arte
Volterra teatro
Main sights
Roman Theatre of Volterra, 1st century BC, excavated in the 1950s
the Roman amphitheatre was discovered in 2015 and has been excavated over the succeeding years
Piazza dei Priori, the main square, a fine example of medieval Tuscan town squares
Palazzo dei Priori, the town hall located on Piazza dei Priori, construction begun in 1208 and finished in 1257
Pinacoteca e museo civico di Volterra (Art Gallery) in Palazzo Minucci-Solaini. Founded in 1905, the gallery consists mostly of works by Tuscan artists from 14th to 17th centuries. Includes a Deposition by Rosso Fiorentino.
Etruscan Acropolis and Roman Cistern. The acropolis on the citadel dates to the 8th century B.C., while the impressive cistern is from the 1st century B.C.
Volterra Cathedral. It was enlarged in the 13th century after an earthquake. It houses a ciborium and some angels by Mino da Fiesole, a notable wood Deposition (1228), a masterwork of Romanesque sculpture and the Sacrament Chapel, with paintings by Santi di Tito, Giovanni Balducci and Agostino Veracini. In the center of the vault are fragments of an Eternal Father by Niccolò Circignani. Also noteworthy is the Addolorata Chapel, with a terracotta group attributed to Andrea della Robbia and a fresco of Riding Magi by Benozzo Gozzoli. In the nearby chapel, dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus, is a table with Christ's monogram, allegedly painted by Bernardino of Siena. The rectangular bell tower is from 1493.
Volterra Baptistery of San Giovanni, built in the second half of the 13th century.
Fortezza Medicea (Medicean Fortress), built in the 1470s, now a prison housing the noted restaurant, Fortezza Medicea restaurant.
Guarnacci Etruscan Museum, with thousands of funeral urns dating back to the Hellenistic and Archaic periods. Main attractions are the bronze statuette "Ombra della sera" (lit. '"Shadow of the Night"'), and the sculpted effigy, "Urna degli Sposi" (lit. '"Urn of the Spouses"') of an Etruscan couple in terra cotta.
The Etruscan Walls of Volterra, including the well-preserved Walls of Volterra (3rd-2nd centuries BC), and Porta Diana gates.
The Medici Villa di Spedaletto, outside the city, in direction of Lajatico
There are excavations of Etruscan tombs in the Valle Bona area.
Volterra Psychiatric Hospital, Founded in 1888 until 1978, it was reopened for public and will be once more used for psychiatric purposes.
In popular culture
Volterra features in Horatius, a poem by Lord Macaulay.
Linda Proud's A Tabernacle for the Sun (2005), the first volume of The Botticelli Trilogy, begins with the sack of Volterra in 1472. Volterra is the ancestral home of the Maffei family and the events of 1472 lead directly to the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478. The protagonist of the novel is Tommaso de' Maffei, half brother of one of the conspirators.
Volterra is an important location in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. In the books, Volterra is home to the Volturi, a clan of rich, regal, powerful ancient vampires, who essentially act as the rulers of the world's vampire population. (However, the relevant scenes from the movie were shot in Montepulciano.)
Volterra is the site of Stendhal's famously disastrous encounter in 1819 with his beloved Countess Mathilde Dembowska: she recognised him there, despite his disguise of new clothes and green glasses, and was furious. This is the central incident in his book On Love
Volterra is mentioned repeatedly in British author Dudley Pope's Captain Nicholas Ramage historical nautical series. Gianna, the Marchesa of Volterra and the fictional ruler of the area, features in the first twelve books of the eighteen-book series. The books chart the progress and career of Ramage during the Napoleonic wars of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, providing readers with well-scripted articulate details of life aboard sailing vessels and conditions at sea of that time.
Volterra is the site where the novel Chimaira by the Italian author Valerio Massimo Manfredi takes place.
Valerio Massimo Manfredi's The Ancient Curse is also set in Volterra, where a statue called 'The Shade of Twilight' is stolen from the Volterra museum.
Volterra is featured in Jhumpa Lahiri's 2008 collection of short stories Unaccustomed Earth. It is where Hema and Kaushik, the protagonists of the final short story "Going Ashore," travel before they part.
Volterra is featured in Luchino Visconti's 1965 film Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa, released as Sandra (Of a Thousand Delights) in the United States and as Of These Thousand Pleasures in the UK.
Volterra's scenery is used for Central City in the 2017 film Fullmetal Alchemist (film) directed by Fumihiko Sori.
The 2016 video game The Town of Light is set in a fictionalized version of the notorious Volterra Psychiatric Hospital.
"Volaterrae" is the name given by Dan and Una to their secret place in Far Wood in Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill. They named it from the verse in Lord Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome:
From lordly Volaterrae,
Where scowls the far-famed hold
Piled by the hands of giants
For Godlike Kings of old.
Volterra and its relationship with Medici Florence features in the 2018 second season of Medici: Masters of Florence.
(Wikipedia)
Volterra, lateinisch Volaterrae, ist eine italienische Stadt mit 9980 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) in der Provinz Pisa in der Region Toskana.
Geographie
Volterra liegt etwa 50 Kilometer südlich von Pisa und 30 Kilometer vom Mittelmeer entfernt. Die Stadt gilt mit ihrem spektakulären landschaftlichen Umfeld als eine der schönsten in der Toskana.
Der Kern der heutigen Stadt liegt abgeschieden auf einem 550 m hohen Bergrücken über dem Tal der Cecina (Val di Cecina) inmitten einer kargen, zerfurchten Hügellandschaft. Die Felsabbrüche und Geröllhalden sind das Produkt jahrhundertelanger Erosion. Das Gebiet Le Balze im Nordwesten Volterras vermittelt einen beispielhaften Eindruck dieses Phänomens.
Die Stadt wird beherrscht von einer heute als Staatsgefängnis benutzten Festung der Medici, der Fortezza Medicea. Volterra ist ein Zentrum der Alabasterverarbeitung.
Zu den Ortsteilen (Frazioni) zählen Mazzolla, Montemiccioli, Saline di Volterra und Villamagna.
Die Nachbargemeinden sind Casole d’Elsa (SI), Colle di Val d’Elsa (SI), Gambassi Terme (FI), Lajatico, Montaione (FI), Montecatini Val di Cecina, Peccioli, Pomarance und San Gimignano (SI).
Geschichte
Volterra kann auf eine lange Geschichte zurückblicken. Bereits im 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. entstand der Ort aus der Verbindung mehrerer kleiner etruskischer Ansiedlungen, deren Bestand bis ins 7. Jahrhundert v. Chr. zurückverfolgt werden kann. Zu dieser Zeit bauten die Etrusker eine sieben Kilometer lange Ringmauer und nannten die nunmehr vereinigte Stadt Velathri.
Volterra war eine der ältesten und größten der zwölf Bundesstädte Etruriens. Später war es eine römische Stadt mit den Rechten eines Municipiums. Ihre hohe Lage machte sie zu einer starken Festung, die Sulla im ersten Bürgerkrieg erst nach zweijähriger Belagerung 79 v. Chr. einnehmen konnte.
Im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert war Volterra eine Republik; im 14. Jahrhundert fiel es an Florenz.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Architektonische und künstlerische Zeugnisse der verschiedenen Epochen zeugen von der wechselvollen Existenz und Bedeutung der Stadt. Einige der etruskischen Nekropolen und mittelalterlichen Kirchenmauern sind jedoch in der Vergangenheit der Erosion zum Opfer gefallen.
Am Hauptplatz der Stadt, der Piazza dei Priori, steht der älteste erhaltene Kommunalpalast der Toskana, der Palazzo dei Priori.
Von der etruskischen Stadtmauer ist als einziges Tor die Porta all’Arco gut erhalten. Es stammt aus dem 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. Im äußeren Bogen sind drei verwitterte Köpfe zu erkennen, deren Bedeutung aber umstritten ist.
Außerhalb der mittelalterlichen Porta Fiorentina liegt das Teatro Romano, erbaut zur Zeit des Kaisers Augustus. Von der Zuschauertribüne für etwa 2000 Personen blickt man auf die teilweise rekonstruierte Bühnenwand. Die unterhalb des Theaters liegenden Thermenanlagen stammen aus späterer Zeit.
Andere historische öffentliche Gebäude sind der Dom Santa Maria Assunta aus dem frühen 12. Jahrhundert mit einer Kassettendecke und mit Granit vortäuschender Stuckverkleidung der Säulen sowie etlichen künstlerisch hochrangigen Ausstattungsstücken, das oktogonale Baptisterium mit einem Taufbecken von Andrea Sansovino, der auf Privatpaläste und Wohntürme aus dem 12. und 13. Jahrhundert zurückgehende Palazzo Pretorio sowie der als Gefängnis dienende Torre del Porcellino. Schließlich gehört der Palazzo Incontri-Viti zu den prachtvollsten Gebäuden Volterras.
Unter den Kirchen sind zu nennen: die spätromanische S. Michele sowie die Kirchen von S. Francesco, S. Lino und S. Girolamo mit Bildern und Skulpturen aus der Schule von Florenz.
Museen
Von besonderer Bedeutung ist das archäologische Museo Etrusco Guarnacci im Palazzo Desideri Tangassi. Mario Guarnacci (1701–1785), ein vielseitig interessierter Gelehrter, widmete seine Studien der antiken Geschichte. Dabei konnte er durch Ankäufe und Ausgrabungen eine ansehnliche Menge Belegmaterial über die etruskische Zivilisation sammeln.
Ein bedeutender Teil der Sammlung umfasst Ascheurnen sowie Stücke aus Bronze und Keramik. Die Urnen bestehen aus Tuffstein, Alabaster und Tonerde. Eine der bekanntesten ganz Etruriens ist die Urna degli Sposi (dt. Urne der Brautleute), auf deren Deckel ein Paar beim Festmahl liegend dargestellt ist.
Das bedeutendste Stück der Sammlung ist jedoch die Bronzefigur Ombra della sera (dt. Abendschatten). Es ist mit der Zeit zu einer „Ikone“ für das Museum und die Stadt Volterra geworden. Seine Berühmtheit verdankt es hauptsächlich seiner einzigartigen Form, die den italienischen Dichter Gabriele D’Annunzio an den Schatten einer menschlichen Figur in der Abendsonne erinnert haben soll. Es ist ein Meisterwerk etruskischer Bronzegießer aus der hellenistischen Periode. Ein weiteres bedeutendes Exponat ist die Stele des Avile Tite aus dem 6. Jahrhundert v. Chr.
Weitere Ausstellungsstücke sind verschiedene Mosaikböden aus der römischen Kaiserzeit, die aus Volterra und Segalari stammen. Hinzu kommt eine Münzsammlung mit seltenen etruskischen Münzen aus Gold, Silber und Bronze. Schließlich sind noch mit Edelsteinen verzierte etruskische und römische Schmuckstücke zu sehen.
Wichtig ist die Sammlung der seit 1982 im Minucci-Solaini-Palast untergebrachten „Pinacoteca“ mit der berühmten Kreuzesabnahme (1521), dem Meisterwerk des Malers Rosso Fiorentino, und den bedeutendsten Arbeiten von Taddeo di Bartolo, Domenico Ghirlandaio und Luca Signorelli, welche die künstlerischen Einflüsse aus Pisa, Florenz und Siena anschaulich machen.
Im April 2003 wurde im Turmhaus des Palazzo Minucci-Solaini das Ecomuseo dell’Alabastro eröffnet, in dem die Geschichte der Gewinnung und der Verarbeitung von Alabaster seit der Antike bis zur Gegenwart dargestellt ist.
Volterra in der Literatur
Volterra ist eine wichtige Stadt in Stephenie Meyers „Biss“-Serie. Dort ist Volterra die Heimatstadt der Volturi, einer königlichen Vampirfamilie.
Volterra spielt auch in der von Dudley Pope geschriebenen Romanreihe um den britischen Marineoffizier Nicolas Ramage eine Rolle. Im ersten Band rettet er während der Napoleonischen Kriege die Marchesa von Volterra vor den französischen Besatzungstruppen. Er verliebt sich in sie, und ihre Herrschaft über Volterra spielt in den weiteren Bänden eine wichtige Rolle. Auch ihr Neffe, Paolo Orsini, nächster in der Erbreihenfolge der Regentschaft, kommt in den meisten Romanen vor, da er als Fähnrich unter Ramages Kommando segelt.
(Wikipedia)
Divine Comedy - scenes from Purgatory (1499-1502) by Luca Signorelli - Chapel of San Brizio - Cathedral of Orvieto
Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Stories of St Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - about 1505
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Luca Signorelli (1445-1523) - Madonna and Child - in monochrome St. John the Baptist and two prophets (around 1490) - Uffizi Gallery Florence
Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 - Stories of St Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - about 1505
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Modelo: Micaela Signorelli
Esta foto es súper especial, porque a la Mica la conozco hace MIL AÑOS (in fact, fue mi primera polola haha) y nos juntamos luego de todo este tiempo para hacer su Book Fotográfico. Muy lindo momento! :)
Santa Maria Maddalena is a patron saint of Orvieto. This portrait of St Mary Magdalene by Luca Signorelli is dated to 1504, It was painted as an altarpiece for a chapel to the saint in the the famous Cappella Nuova of the Duomo.
A closer look at the hands of the saint, she holds a jar of ointment. ( Full portrait here: flic.kr/p/2kuXFgZ )
Museo dell Opera del Duomo, Orvieto; March 2017
Italien / Toskana - Montepulciano
Porta al Prato
Montepulciano (Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a 605-metre (1,985 ft) limestone ridge, 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of Pienza, 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Siena, 124 kilometres (77 mi) southeast of Florence, and 186 kilometres (116 mi) north of Rome by car.
Montepulciano is a wine-producing region. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita status and is, with the Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico, one of the principal red wines of Tuscany. The Rosso di Montepulciano and Vin Santo di Montepulciano have Denominazione di origine controllata status.
History
According to legend, it was founded by the Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Clusium (modern Chiusi). Recent findings prove that a settlement was in existence in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. In Roman times it was the seat of a garrison guarding the main roads of the area.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it developed as a religious center under the Lombards. In the 12th century it was repeatedly attacked by the Republic of Siena, which the Poliziani faced with the help of the Perugia and Orvieto, and sometimes Florence, communes. The 14th century was characterized by constant struggles between the local noble families, until the Del Pecora family became rulers of the town. From 1390, Montepulciano was a loyal ally (and later possession) of Florence and, until the mid-16th century, lived a period of splendour with architects such as Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Ippolito Scalza and others, building luxurious residences and other edifices here. In 1559, when Siena was conquered by Florence and Montepulciano lost its strategic role, its importance declined.
After the unification of Italy and the drying of the Val di Chiana, the town remained the most important agricultural centre in the area, while the industrial activities moved mostly next to Chiusi, which was nearer to the railroad being built in that period.
A competitive "barrel race through the city" called the Bravio delle botti has been held on the last Sunday of August since the 14th Century.
Main sights
Since the Second World War, tourism has been a significant aspect in the economy of the urban part of the commune. Many of the streets are designated as car-free. Most of the shops and restaurants are on the main street, which stretches from Porta Al Prato to Piazza Grande[6] for 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi).
The main landmarks include:
Palazzo Comunale: city hall designed by Michelozzo recalling the Palazzo della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio) of Florence.
Palazzo Tarugi, attributed to Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. It is entirely in travertine, with a portico which was once open to the public.
Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, or the Duomo of Montepulciano, constructed between 1594 and 1680, includes a masterpiece from the Sienese School, a massive Assumption of the Virgin triptych painted by Taddeo di Bartolo in 1401.
Santa Maria delle Grazie: late 16th-century) church with a simple Mannerist façade with a three-arcade portico. The interior has a single nave, and houses a precious terracotta altar by Andrea della Robbia.
Madonna di San Biagio Sanctuary: church, located on the road to Chianciano outside the city, it is a typical 16th century Tuscan edifice, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder on a pre-existing Pieve, between 1518 and 1545. It has a circular (central) plan with a large dome over a terrace and a squared tambour. The exterior, with two bell towers, is built in white travertine.
Santa Lucia: Baroque church with altarpiece by Luca Signorelli.
Museo Civico di Montepulciano: located in the Palazzo Neri Orselli, displaying a collection of archeologic items, paintings, and terracotta works by the Della Robbia family.
(Wikipedia)
Montepulciano ist eine Kleinstadt mit 13.691 Einwohnern (Stand 31. Dezember 2019) in der italienischen Region Toskana und gehört zur Provinz Siena.
Geografie
Montepulciano liegt ca. 45 km südöstlich der Provinzhauptstadt Siena und ca. 86 km südöstlich der Regionalhauptstadt Florenz zwischen dem Val di Chiana und dem Val d’Orcia. Lage und Bau der Stadt sind pittoresk. Die Stadt liegt auf der Kuppe eines rund 600 m hohen Hügels und ist von einer mittelalterlichen Stadtmauer umgeben.
Zu den Ortsteilen gehören Abbadia, Acquaviva, Gracciano, Montepulciano Stazione, Sant’Albino und Valiano.
Die Nachbargemeinden sind Castiglione del Lago (PG), Chianciano Terme, Chiusi, Cortona (AR), Pienza und Torrita di Siena.
Geschichte
Die Geschichte Montepulcianos lässt sich bis ins Jahr 715 v. Chr. zurückverfolgen, also bis mitten in die Etruskerzeit. Der Ort unterlag bis 1202 dem Schutz Sienas, erklärte sich dann für Florenz und wechselte anschließend noch mehrfach die Herrschaft, bis er Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts endgültig florentinisch wurde. 1561 wurde die Stadt Bischofssitz.
Montepulciano ist der Geburtsort des Humanisten und Poeten Angelo Ambrogini (1454–1494), der als Poliziano bekannt wurde und als Hauslehrer und Freund von Lorenzo il Magnifico den Zeitgeist der Renaissance mitprägte. Ein weiterer Sohn der Stadt ist Kardinal Bellarmino (1542–1621).
Im Zweiten Weltkrieg hatte die deutsche Wehrmacht als Vergeltung von Partisanenangriffen bereits die Zerstörung der historischen Altstadt angeordnet. Dies konnte vom Grafen Origo und seiner Frau, der Schriftstellerin Iris Origo („Toskanisches Tagebuch“), in letzter Minute verhindert werden. Gesprengt wurde lediglich das Osttor „Porta al Prato“.
Am 7. Juni 2016 vereinbarten Vertreter des Partito Democratico aus Montepulciano und Torrita di Siena, die in ihren Gemeinden eine klare Mehrheit haben, eine Fusion beider Gemeinden in die Wege zu leiten. Dies wurde im November 2018 in einem Referendum abgelehnt.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Die meisten der Gebäude der Altstadt stammen aus der Zeit der Renaissance. Älter sind die Burg, der Palazzo Pubblico aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und das Portal der Kirche Santa Maria (13. Jahrhundert). Es gibt eine Reihe von schönen Privathäusern, von denen einige von Antonio da Sangallo dem Älteren (1455–1534) und Baldassare Peruzzi (1481–1536), andere von Vignola (1507–1573) erbaut wurden.
Die Kirche Madonna di San Biagio – wahrscheinlich das Meisterwerk Sangallos – wurde 1518 bis 1537 gebaut.
Die Kathedrale von Bartolomeo Ammanati (1570), verändert von Ippolito Scalza, und vollendet 1680 (mit Ausnahme der Fassade, die immer noch unvollendet ist) beherbergt einen großen Altar von Taddeo di Bartolo von Siena, und die Fragmente eines imposanten Monuments, das 1427–1436 von dem Florentiner Architekten Michelozzo zu Ehren von Bartolomeo Aragazzi, dem Sekretär Papst Martins V., errichtet wurde, und das im 18. Jahrhundert abgerissen wurde. Die Fassade der Kirche Sant’Agostino ist wahrscheinlich ebenso Michelozzos Werk.
Sehenswert ist auch das aufwendig restaurierte Museo comunale mit der Gemäldesammlung Crociani. Unten im Val di Chiana befindet sich am Lago di Montepulciano ein Naturkundemuseum, das an die Jahrhunderte erinnert, in denen das Tal ein riesiger See und Sumpf war.
Tourismus
Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen
Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte: das Musikfestival, dessen Initiator 1976 der deutsche Komponist Hans Werner Henze war, findet jährlich von Ende Juli bis Anfang August statt.
Europäische Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst: Meisterkurse der Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln in Zusammenarbeit mit der Europäischen Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst finden jährlich mit ihren wöchentlichen Abschlusskonzerten im Palazzo Ricci statt.
Bruscello: ist ein Bauerntheater mit Musik; es findet jedes Jahr zu Ferragosto (am 15. August) statt.
Bravio delle Botti: ein Wettkampf der acht Stadtteile, bei dem Weinfässer den Berg hoch gerollt werden müssen; er findet jedes Jahr am letzten Sonntag im August statt
Tourismus
Neben Weinkennern kommen auch viele Musikliebhaber nach Montepulciano (siehe Abschnitt Regelmäßige Veranstaltungen).
In den letzten Jahren war Montepulciano wiederholt Schauplatz preisgekrönter Spielfilme wie „Der englische Patient“, „Heaven“ oder „Ein Sommernachtstraum“ und „New Moon – Bis(s) zur Mittagsstunde“ mit Robert Pattinson und Kristen Stewart.
Weinbau
Böden, Lagen und Klima der Gegend begünstigen den Weinbau, durch den der Ort bekannt geworden ist. Der Rotwein hat einen „noblen“ Namen: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, dessen Name aber mit dem Wein Montepulciano d’Abruzzo aus den Marken und Abruzzen verwechselt werden könnte. Die Winzer von Montepulciano machen den Unterschied in den Rebsorten, in der Haltbarkeit und in der Qualität und orientieren sich dabei an den toskanischen Nachbarn aus Montalcino. Der einfachere Wein aus Montepulciano wird Rosso di Montepulciano genannt.
(Wikipedia)
Die Verdammten
Wir erreichen Orvieto, die himmelstürmende Stadt, in wenigen Minuten, sagte Roger.
Wie gut, sagte ich und steuerte das Auto forsch den Berg hinauf.
Roger studierte Germanistik, Philosophie und Kunstgeschichte in Bonn, Florenz, München und Wien. Sein Vater war Kunsthistoriker und Restaurator, seine Mutter Kunstsachverständige. Obwohl ich als Architekturstudent und Kunstliebhaber auch schon einiges Wissen besaß, war sein Horizont gigantisch. Er wusste, dass ich es mochte, wenn er dozierte und wenn wir gerade schräg drauf waren, machte er es auf eine besonders gestelzte und schwülstige Weise.
Der Dom steht an der höchsten Stelle, kratzt die Wolken und schreckt das Volk mit himmelschreienden Visionen. Morgen ist auch noch ein Tag, mögen sich die Einheimischen gedacht haben. Aber dann fanden sie sich vor Luca Signorellis Freskenzyklus in der San-Brizio-Kapelle des Doms und mussten glauben, die Hölle habe die schönsten Nackten und der Himmel das flauschigste Federvieh. Doch wenn dereinst einmal der nächste Tag der Jüngste ist, werden sie sich plötzlich von den himmlischen Soldaten dem greisen Charon überantwortet und in die Verdammnis gerudert finden. Dann haben sie es versäumt, sich rechtzeitig sachkundig zu machen.
Es machte mir Freude so auf das kommende eingestimmt zu werden.
Wir parkten, verließen das Auto und tauchten in die engen Gassen, die uns zum Dom hinaufführten.
Roger fuhr mit seinen Erläuterungen fort.
Luca Signorelli, der dies voraussah und malte, war selbst ein rätselhafter umbrischer Zugereister, frenetisch interessiert am Anatomischen und in seinen Phantasien von Dante gelöst, der doch sonst die Vorstellung von der Hölle über Jahrhunderte hinaus prägte, wo nicht bestimmte. Signorelli soll bei seiner Arbeit sogar einmal vom Gerüst gestürzt sein, aber in die Hölle fällt auch niemand weich.
Ich erzählte Roger über den Zyklus, was ich herausgefunden hatte: dass er erst Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts begonnen wurde, dass Signorelli Mitstreiter, wenn nicht Konkurrent Michelangelos gewesen sei und hier die bis dahin umfangreichste Darstellung des Endzeitdramas hinterlassen habe, dass Savonarolas Schicksal in Florenz wohl einen entscheidenden Einfluss auf die Darstellung gehabt habe, und deshalb das Fresko eher eine politische Aussage intendiert habe, als eine religiöse, dass Signorelli sich selbst in der Bildmitte von "Sturz der Verdammten" als blauer Teufel, der eine Frau umklammert, sehr humorvoll, verewigt habe. Roger zog, immerhin, eine Augenbraue hoch.
Dann war er wieder an der Reihe. Der Himmel nimmt nur Junge und Nackte auf, und Standesunterschiede kennt er nicht. In die Hölle dagegen werden die Niederträchtigen nicht einmal eingelassen, sondern zuerst am Boden massakriert, die Prostituierten durch die Lüfte entführt, von Teufeln mit athletischen Figuren gequält und von Dämonen bespuckt. Zum Weltuntergang schwitzen die Bäume Blut, und Blut regnet es auch aus dem Himmel, die Sterne verlassen das Firmament, und die Erde geht in Flammen auf. Gerippe kriechen aus der Erde und ziehen sich neues Fleisch an. Alle schlank und proper."
Ich hatte zwar ein paar Tage im Kloster hinter mir, war auch der Apokalypse gegenüber aufgeschlossen, jedoch ließ mich Signorelli, durch meine Bücher betrachtet, bislang unbeteiligt, vor allem der anatomisch überproportionierten, unsinnlichen Körper wegen mit ihren himmelwärts gewandten Häuptern. Das neue anatomische Wissen ließ die Künstler aus seiner Zeit die Muskulatur unter der Haut auf eine unnatürlich plastische Weise darstellen. Abgestoßen von der schwachen Materialität des Fleischlichen, dem Desinteresse des Malers am Stofflichen, holte ich zu einem Lob des großen Tapiès aus, der gerade im Stofflichen, Materiellen ...
... Roger gebot mir Einhalt.
Wr beschlossen erst einmal kurz in den Dom hinein zu gehen. Es kam aber anders. Nicht mal schaulustig, sondern bloß abwartend und auf den zügigen Durchgang durch Signorellis Weltgericht gestimmt, blieben wir auf der vorderen Kirchenbank sitzen und schweiften in die Fresken, die den Blick gleich an sich rissen, gewagt und schrecklich, wie sie waren. Diese rücksichtslosen Bilder beleidigten eigentlich den sakralen Raum durch ihre Drastik und Vulgarität, ihre Effekthascherei und ihre Pointen, flüsterte Roger. Der örtliche Klerus hätte Signorelli während seiner Arbeit damals sogar Religionsunterricht erteilt. Man hätte ihm ein Konzept abgenötigt, hätte, was bildfähig sein sollte, exakt mit ihm abgestimmt. Doch erwies er sich als schwer erziehbar, und hängt nicht sogar dem Arbeiter auf Piero della Francescas "Legende vom Heiligen Kreuz" in Arezzo, dem Hauptwerk von Signorellis Lehrer, gleich rechts vom Altar, ein Hoden aus dem Arbeitsgewand?
www.flickr.com/photos/96980838@N04/27370332930/in/datepos...
Wir verließen den Dom, um eine schöpferische Pause im nahegelegenen Kaffee zu machen. Wir warteten beide auf eine Frau, dass vereinte. Roger pustete auf den Schaum seines Cappuccinos und belehrte mich weiter. Signorelli hatte wahrscheinlich, ähnlich wie Michelangelo, Leichen seziert, was zur damaligen Zeit verboten war, um sich das nötige anatomische Wissen zu verschaffen. Er hatte auch seinen toten Sohn gemalt, um ihn nicht zu vergessen, hatte gelernt, wie man durch Pose und Mimik die Individualisierung des Menschen in der Masse betreibt. Er verbog die Leiber ins Unwahrscheinliche, machte Versuche mit ihrer Statik, den Körperschwerpunkten, und fragte sich dabei unermüdlich: Was ist der nackte Mensch? Was bedeutet er?
In der "Erweckung der Toten" und vor allem bei "Sturz der Verdammten" wird seine Phantasie gefährlich frei. Hier öffnet er die Verliese, und die Bilder brechen sich Bahn. In einer tollkühnen Vermischung der heidnischen und der christlichen Welt weitet er die Schöpfung in eine kosmische Anarchie. Fluten steigen über den Horizont, verschreckt duckt sich die Tierwelt, verirrte Menschen schweifen über die Ebene, falsche Propheten suchen das Firmament nach Hoffnung ab, während Dämonen vom Menschen schon Besitz ergriffen haben. Ein blutbedeckter Mond funzelt vom Himmel, der Antichrist thront, sein Ohr dem Dämonen leihend. Krieger in schwarzer Rüstung schleifen das Heilige Grab. Sogar die Elemente sind ihrer Gesetzmäßigkeit beraubt und orientieren sich frei und gelöst.
Ja, der Himmel ist eine finstere Suppe, die Sterne lösen sich aus ihren Bahnen und entfachen so nebenbei den Weltenbrand. Das Meer holt sich die Siedlungen, das Feuer frisst sich ins Land, Erdbeben erschüttern den Grund, und die Menschen drängen vorn an die Rampe, aus dem Bild, wollen den Illusionsraum sprengen, wollen übertreten in die Wirklichkeit der Betrachter, die an diesem Tag wir waren, hier auf der Kirchenbank, in Erwartung einer Frau, der Sünde, die einen langen Weg hinter sich haben würde zur "resurrectio canis". Und tatsächlich, das Skelett entsteigt dem Erdgrund und nimmt Fleisch an oder entfaltet sich in die Blüte seiner anatomischen Schönheit hinein, rein wie der Gedanke, aber doch Fleisch. Roger schaute, trotz seiner Enttäuschung, dass sie noch nicht erschienen war, zufrieden über seine Formulierungen, und ich bewunderte ihn einmal wieder, maßlos.
Er holte zu ausladenden Gesten aus. Signorellis Räume sind Bühnenräume, und theatralisch sieht er die Welt enden in der Herabkunft des Antichrist, wie sie in den Apokryphen in der "Legenda Aurea" des Jacopo da Voragine oder in den Visionen der heiligen Brigitte von Schweden beschworen wird. Es geht um die letzten Fragen und die letzten Dinge, die Menschheit muss zu neuem Leben erwachen. Ja, es ist das Ende der Welt, die Cumanische Sibylle weist auf ihr "Buch der Weissagungen" und siehe: Auf dem First der Wogen balancieren Schiffe, die Ruinen antikisierender Bauten mahnen, eine Wolkenbank von der Farbe geronnenen Blutes lastet im Himmel, ein Feuersturm droht, ihm voran drängen Söldner und Soldaten, Teufel und Dämonen, und was hier über allem beklemmend persönlich wirkt, das ist Signorellis pedantische Art, ein Massenschicksal in lauter individuelle Dramen zu zerlegen. Ich versuchte alles Beschriebene in den Fresken zu finden, verzweifelte, traute mich aber nicht im Einzelnen nachzufragen. Seine Begeisterung war ansteckend.
...
Wir gingen wieder vor den Dom hinaus und schauten nach seiner Verabredung und meiner Hoffnung auf das Unmögliche. Roger kam wieder auf die Fresken zu sprechen, ich auf die Frauen, aber er sagte, nur dies eine noch.
In der "Auferstehung des Fleisches" erheben sich Signorellis Körper nicht aus Gräbern. Aus dem kahlen Feld wachsen diese Leiber heraus und nehmen Fleisch an. Auf den weiten Flächen sammeln sich Menschen, fixiert von der Situation des Ernstfalls, die Nähe der Masse suchend unter der Regie der Bestürzung, und wenn Einzelne aus dem Geknäuel der Leiber heraustreten, dann um zu enthaupten, zu quälen, zu vernichten. Ich nickte bedrückt und strengte mich noch mehr an, die Vermissten auf dem Platz zu entdecken. Frustriert suchten wir wieder unsere Kirchenbank auf und Roger begann erneut seine Analyse.
Auf ihrem Weg zum Gericht werden die Verdammten zur Hölle geführt, wo eine Frau brennend im Höllenschlund steht. In einer Orgie der Enthemmung winden sich die nackten Leiber, ausgeliefert dem Exzess, der im Untergang den Überschuss der Lust assoziiert. Auf einer kahlen Bühne im Nimmerland wartet die unentrinnbare Verderbnis, und die Masse, rhythmisiert wie im Bebop, wogt vor und zurück, nach vorne, nach hinten, aufwärts, abwärts, und unter dem düsteren Himmel existiert eine verzweifelte Menschheit, allein im Versuch zu fliehen.
Doch was blüht ihr, was blüht den Frauen? Ausgeliefert einem Sadismus der Souveränität, werden sie durch alle Formen der Erniedrigung geschickt. Ihre Nacktheit ist paradiesisch nicht, sondern pornographisch.
Seine Stimme wurde immer lauter. Ich schaute mich peinlich berührt um. Zum Glück waren wir alleine in der Kapelle. Ich legte ihm meine Hand auf seinen Arm, in der Hoffnung ihn beruhigen zu können. Es funktionierte und nun flüsterte er, grinsend. Alles gehörte zu unseren oft erprobten Spielen, jedoch war alles, was er mit strahlenden Augen sagte, voller fachmännischer Ernsthaftigkeit.
Zu Boden werden sie geworfen, werden mit geöffneten Beinen kopfüber aus dem Himmel gestoßen, gefesselt und geschlagen, überrannt werden sie und gebissen, verschleppt und an den Haaren gerissen. In den bereitwilligen Posen der Pin-ups überlassen sich die nackten Körper der Phantasie des Weltgerichts. Doch ist ihre Entblößung wie in einem biblischen Herrenmagazin schon Teil der Erniedrigung, der Strafe.
Ich nickte staunend.
Andererseits haben die Nackten nur in der Verdammnis überhaupt Sexualität.
Seine Stimme wurde wieder lauter und ich blickte mich verstohlen um und legte ihm erneut die Hand auf seinen gestikulierenden Arm.
Kaum erleben sie ihre Auferstehung oder werden im Himmel empfangen, tragen sie ihren nackten Körper nur noch wie ein Accessoire. Erst in der Verdammnis wird das Antlitz zur Visage, verwandelt sich das Gesäß in den Arsch.
Jetzt musste ich lachen, wir schauten uns an, wie zwei Verschwörer.
Welche Offerte, jetzt, unmittelbar vor dem so schwärmerisch wie versessen imaginierten Rendezvous, von der Sexualität Abschied zu nehmen! Doch was das Motiv unserer Reise angeht, so sind wir auf der Seite der Verdammten, erregt von der Schlachtplatte der unterworfenen Leiber.
...
Er wurde ruhig. Dann aber trat er wieder vor das Weltgericht, wo die Brandung der Verdammten nicht abebben wollte, während sich eine monumentale Miniatur, ein einzelnes Paar, sich ihm immer entschiedener aufdrängte.
Sieh dieses Paar über der Mittelachse des Getümmels: Sie liegt nackt, mit dahinwehendem blondem Haar auf dem Rücken des fliegenden Satans. Ihr ängstlicher Blick sucht zur Rechten die Augen des Himmelsengels in seiner Rüstung, während der luziferisch geflügelte Teufel, er flattert mit seinen Armen, sie durch die Lüfte trägt, ungehindert, gehörnt und lachend dem Höllenschlund entgegen fliegt. Eingefroren in der Bewegung über der wogenden Masse aber, ohne Woher und Wohin, kann das Paar in diesem Augenblick noch alles sein: sogar die Monade des ungleichen Liebespaars, das sich rettet und entkommt.
Komm, lass uns in die Sonne gehen, sagte ich. Draußen erklärst du mir dann bitte, was eine Monade ist, also falls du eine Chance siehst, dass ich das verstehe.
_MG_3052_pt4
Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) 1477-1549 -Benedict breaks a poisoned glass with the sign of the cross - Stories of St Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - about 1505
Le Storie di san Benedetto di Monte Oliveto Maggiore sono un ciclo di affreschi nel Chiostro Grande dell'Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (comune di Asciano, Siena), realizzati da Luca Signorelli (otto lunette), che vi lavorò dal 1497 al 1498, e dal Sodoma, che completò il ciclo dopo il 1505 con le ventisei lunette mancanti. Una (Benedetto manda Mauro in Francia e Placido in Sicilia) venne ridipinta dal Riccio.
Si tratta di una delle più complete descrizioni della vita di san Benedetto, ben trentacinque scene, che si basano sul racconto di san Gregorio Magno.
Stories of St. Benedict of Monte Oliveto Maggiore are a series of frescoes in the Great Cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (town of Asciano, Siena), made by Luca Signorelli (eight lunettes), who worked there from 1497 to 1498, and Sodoma, who completed the cycle after 1505 with the twenty-six lunettes missing. A (Benedict sends Mauro in France and Placido in Sicily) was repainted by Riccio.
It is one of the most complete descriptions of the life of St. Benedict, thirty-five scenes, which are based on the story of St. Gregory the Great.
Divine Comedy - scenes from Purgatory (1499-1502) by Luca Signorelli - Chapel of San Brizio - Cathedral of Orvieto
Divine Comedy - scenes from Purgatory (1499-1502) by Luca Signorelli - Chapel of San Brizio - Cathedral of Orvieto
Luca Signorelli, pseudonym of Luca d'Egidio di Ventura (Cortona, about 1441-1445 - Cortona, October 16, 1523) - lunettes with the preaching of the antichrist and the universal judgement (1499-1502) - Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto Cathedral.
Il ciclo inizia con la lunetta della Predica e fatti dell'Anticristo, la prima a sinistra dell'ingresso. Si tratta di un caso unico nell'arte italiana di rappresentazione in chiave monumentale della leggenda dell'Anticristo, tratta dal De ortu et tempore Antichristi, testo legato all'angosciosa attesa dell'anno Mille variamente attribuito, e dalla Leggenda Aurea]. La venuta di falsi Messia inoltre si trova nelle parole profetiche sugli Ultimi Giorni del Vangelo di Matteo
Sulla parete d'ingresso, resa angusta dall'arco di accesso, si trova la scena del Finimondo, dominata al centro da un putto che sorregge lo stemma dell'Opera del Duomo (O.P.S.M.)[15] e divisa in due gruppi narrativi[
The cycle begins with the lunette of the Preaching and facts of the Antichrist, the first to the left of the entrance. It deals with a unique case in the Italian art of representation in monumental key of the legend of the Antichrist, taken from the De ortu et tempore Antichristi, text tied to the anguished wait of the year Thousand variously attributed, and from the Golden Legend]. The coming of false Messiahs is also found in the prophetic words about the Last Days in the Gospel of Matthew
On the entrance wall, made narrow by the access arch, there is the scene of the Finimondo, dominated at the center by a putto holding the coat of arms of the Opera del Duomo (O.P.S.M.)[15] and divided into two narrative groups
Sixtinische Kapelle
Vatican
Built between 1475 and 1483, in the time of Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere, the Sistine Chapel has originally served as Palatine Chapel. The chapel is rectangular in shape and measures 40.93 meters long by 13.41 meters wide, i.e. the exact dimensions of the Temple of Solomon, as given in the Old Testament. It is 20.70 meters high and is roofed by a flattened barrel vault, with little side vaults over the centered windows.
The architectural plans were made by Baccio Pontelli and the construction work was supervised by Giovannino de' Dolci. The first Mass in the Sistine Chapel was celebrated on August 9, 1483.
The wall paintings were executed by Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, Luca Signorelli and their respective workshops, which included Pinturicchio, Piero di Cosimo and Bartolomeo della Gatta.
Michelangelo Buonarroti was commissioned by Pope Julius II della Rovere in 1508 to repaint the ceiling; the work was completed between 1508 and 1512. He painted the Last Judgement over the altar, between 1535 and 1541, being commissioned by Pope Paul III Farnese.
Handheld
without tripod /flash
The light in the Sistine Chapel is very diffused
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