Siena Italy - Santa Maria della Scala Hospital

While in Siena on Saturday, Hafiza and I also visited the Santuario di Santa Caterina and the museo archeologico inside S. Maria della Scala. If you first pay to enter the exhibit “Nel segno di Ingres” nearby, you will receive a ridotto (reduced) price ticket to enter this building.

Santa Maria della Scalla was one of the first hospitals in Europe. A cobbler named Sorore who died in 898 is its mythical founder. The hospital was not only an important economic resource for Siena, but also became one of the city’s most important centers for art. It remained a working hospital until only some years ago when the restoration project began and has been used for various exhibits since then. It is an impressive building.

The art inside was not particularly moving, although I did rather enjoy the fresco of several babies climbing up a ladder that was leaning against an archway in a church. Above the arch was a fresco of a mother that appeared to come to life so she could welcome these babies.

The museo archeologico has been set up in the labyrinths underneath the chapels in Santa Maria della Scala. This is where I took the photos you see. One hallway housed many old stone urns. They were rather funny reclining/half-seated figures on the lids, many with large heads. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the tunnels. And the second image of a vase – well, I not only liked the arrogant figure depicted, but also the shadow shapes around the vase. I hope you do as well.

Siena, Italy - Art Exhibit of European 'Purismo'

Yesterday, I went with my friend Hafiza to Siena, a popular town in Tuscany, Italy. We went to see the mostra (exhibit) titled
"Nel segno di Ingres [in the sign/mark of Ingres]
Luigi Mussini e l'Accademia in Europa nell'Ottocento"

It was held at the Complesso Muscale in the Santa Maria della Scala (Saint Mary of the Stairs), right across from the "Zebra Castle" as my friend Michael Graziano once referred to the alternating dark green and white bars of marble that make up Siena's Duomo.

The exhibit wanted to show the influence of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres on the work of Senese painter Luigi Mussini and other artists, as well as depict some of the dialogue between 'purism' and 'naturalism' in European art during this time period. It is quite good. Here is a list of my favorite works in questa mostra (please realize that these titles are in Italian and you may know their titles by other names):

*"Abele Morente" 1842 by Giovanni Dupré
Disegno su carta (drawing on paper).
This work is absolutely fantastic! Subtle white pencil marks in this drawing on a mid-toned paper of the reclining arched figure of the dying Abel made one want to reach out and touch the figure.
Property of the Uffizi in Firenze.

*“Ulisse riconosciuto dalla sua Nutrice” 1849 by William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
(‘Ulysses recognized by his nurse’, upon his return from Troy)
If I could have located an image of this incredible painting that is on loan from La Rochelle Musée des Beaux Arts de La Rochelle (I assume in France), I would explain to you how intelligent and magnificent the composition is! Can anyone locate an image of this artwork "Ulysses Recognized by his Nurse" by Bouguereau for me?

*“La Riconoscenza” 1853-4; marble sculpture by Giovanni Dupré
riconoscere = to recognize or to admit, acknowledge
Private collection – a beautiful seated woman holding a broken chain in front of her knees. Delicate and shown with lovely lighting!

*“La carità educatrice” 1817-1835; marble sculpture by Lorenzo Bartolini
This sculpture depicts a mother with one child standing by her feet while she holds a baby against her body. The way the baby’s cheek is pushed against her shoulder, with his fingers close by and while one foot dangles away from her lower arm are just two examples of how magnificently carved this sculpture is.

*“Amore in agguato” 1854-58; marble sculpture by Lorenzo Bartolini
The title of this marble of a seated and resting Cupid figure was translated into “Love Lying in Wait” for the exhibit, but my dictionary says that agguato means a more daring ‘trap’ or ‘ambush.’

And I enjoyed the dramatic lighting on two paintings: Alessandro Franchi’s “Trasporto di Santo Stefano” 1864-8 and Cesare Maccari’s “Un episodio della vita di Fabiola” 1870.

Here is a link to the site of La Rochelle Musée des Beaux Arts de La Rochelle (but it only shows the painting in a bizarre, highly foreshortened view):

http://perso.orange.fr/musees-la-rochelle/b-arts/a/expo_1.htm

Thank you also to my friend, geologist Dr. Fabio Biselli who explained to me that mostro means 'monster.' Ah the difference one vowel can make! However, it is my spoken confusion around kind people that enables me to refine my Italian vocabulary and grammar. Trying is learning.

Oh – this exhibit “ Nel segno di Ingres” continues through to 6 January 2008. I highly recommend it – and relaxing Siena.

To learn more about this exhibit (although the text is in Italian, you may click on the Babelfish link on the top right of this page to attempt a translation), click here:

http://www.comune.siena.it/news.asp?id=17619