Pescia Italy Church Fresco

Dear Art Lover,

An open door leads to art, Pescia, Italy

     Sometimes people tell me, “Wow, you are so courageous to just pick up and move to Italy.” Well, first of all, that is not exactly what happened, and it took me years to finally find a place to call home and … whatever.  I usually respond with a confused look and a, “What?  Italy is not Afghanistan.  And anyone with a credit card can come to Italy.  I am not particularly special.”

     Still, to live outside of the country you were born in is not at all the same as visiting a foreign country.  And thankfully, at least in my experiences, there are many people, Italian and other expats alike, who really help out.  [I use the term ‘expat,’ which to some is a bit controversial, to mean someone, like me, who chooses to live outside her native country, but has not given up her citizenship in her native land; versus an immigrant who either has given it up or has become a dual citizen.]

     It was in this context of neighbors helping neighbors with health insurance issues that I found myself going again near the hospital in Pescia, Italy, the nearest decent-sized town to where I live.  We were looking for a specific office/person to help with my neighbors’ health-insurance, a tip from an Italian neighbor.  But this time, on the walk down a somewhat familiar street, a rather plain old wooden door invited a look inside.  I was surprised to see frescos and a dramatic light emerging inside washing over the art.  So, this was a small old church tucked into modern surroundings.

     Ever curious, but aware that we were in a hurry to find this person, I quickly snapped some images and gazed up a bit to try to understand what treasure we had discovered in this little city once famous for its flower productions. 

     It is the Oratory of Saint Antonio Abate. There was a date in the sign of 1210-1220, but I had too much glare on the laminated sign and am unclear on what the date refers to.  However, the organ at the back was constructed on 1853 by Nicomede Agati.  And the wooden sculpture [Umbrian-Tuscan sculptor of the late nineteenth century. XIII Deposition of Christ, carved and painted wood], was affected by the great flood in Florence of 1966.  Well here is the translation of part of the sign I photographed in the oratory:

“The part of the Superintendence at the Galleries was mainly in the recovery of the famous Romanesque wood group. It had been restored for the first time in 1943, albeit with poor results because the technical means available at that time had failed to block the process of infestation and disintegration of the wood, which was for the second time hospitalized in the workshops of the Superintendence at the Galleries Of Florence, had the misfortune to suffer on 4 Nov 1966 the flood water damage.”

As for the fresco around the altar, it seems to have been restored in 1975.  Enjoy the snapshots!

Peace,

Kelly Borsheim, artist 

wood ceiling typical of long ago

 

wood sculpture, restored again after great flood 1966, Firenze

the ceiling fresco

the organ at the back was constructed on 1853 by Nicomede Agati