The Mysteries of the Riace Bronzes

Posted on February 23, 2017 by babbityjean

The deep-sea diver, who was a Roman chemist, found them in August of 1972.  At 300 under-watermeters from the coast of Riace, at 8 meters deep, the diver first saw an arm.  He thought it belonged to a cadaver.  At that time, he did not know that this would be one of the most extraordinary archeological finds of the century.  And he certainly didn’t anticipate the mysteries that would follow.

Who were these two bronze youths retrieved from the water five days later by carabinieri scuba divers from Messina?  Where did they come from?  Who created them?  Were they smuggled statues that sunk in a ship wreck?  Many questions would emerge in the days and years following that have never been answered.  Here are some of the issues and theories.

i-bronzi-1The two bronzes—at times called the Youth and the Adult—were “baptized” by the town in Calabria where they were brought ashore: Riace.  They are not twins and they are not the work of the same hand.  Whoever imagined them and defined their features by creating a wax model to make a clay mold in which to pour the molten bronze (the so-called lost wax casting) were two different artists.  Even today we do not know their names.

Because of the clay that remained inside the bronzes, experts today believe that they were created in Argos and Athens, in the workshops of the best artists of antiquity during the fifth century BC.  The Youth seems to be in the style called “Severe” between 480 and 450 BC.  The Adult seems to be in the Classical style, 30 years later.  There are many theories about the authors of these masterpieces.  According to some, Ageladas of Argos, a bronze artist from the School of Peloponnesus, created the Youth, while the Adult was the work of the more famous disciple of Ageladas, Polyclitus, with whom he wrote the Canon, defining for Renaissance artists and those who followed the geometric proportions with which to recreate beauty.  According to others, the first was the work of Phidias, the most extraordinary artist called by Pericles to create the Acropolis of Athens.  And the second was created by Alcamene, a student of Phidias.

Who or what do these bronzes represent?  Some art historians think that the haughty testeattitude of the Youth is similar to that of Agamemnon.  The Adult is more mature, and the shell that covers the head is like the leather cap worn under the helmet by those in battle.  According to another theory, instead of two warriors, they could be a Greek and a trace (a type of gladiator).  We can surmise that they were holding a shield in the left hand, and, according to most hypotheses, a spear in the right, while on his head, leaning back as in moments of rest, they wore a Corinthian helmet.

But no one can say where the helmet, the spear, and the shields ended up.  Were they lost in a shipwreck?   Was there, in fact, a shipwreck?  Or did the ship that brought them dump them when the sea conditions made them an unbearable burden?  The backdrop of Riace, thoroughly explored only a year after the discovery, turned up nothing.  And where were the bronzes headed when they sank?  Most likely they started from Greece and were heading to Rome at a time when the Romans, seduced by the beauty that the Greeks created, sought to adorn their houses with art that they would have strived to reproduce in marble.  The Greek bronzes, in fact, were expensive, beautiful and unique, and countless have come to us only through marble reproductions.  There were times, too, in which the ignorance of such beauty led to the melting of the bronze to gain other things, notably weapons.

museoBeautiful bronzes are, in fact, rare in the world today.  But the Bronzes of Riace are now on display at the new National Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, which opened in April of 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Arte, English, Foto, Italia, Storia | 2 Comments

Attraverso gli occhi d’Italia: Un giro di Santa Barbara, in California

Posted on February 17, 2017 by babbityjean

Tutto comincia qui…all’angolo delle strade di Olive e Cota.  All’inizio del ventesimo secolo, come gli immigrati italiani inondarono la costa orientale degli Stati Uniti, poche persone sapevano che sulla costa occidentale a Santa Barbara, una città di solo circa 20.000 persone a quel tempo e circa 90.000 di oggi, ci fu anche una “Little Italy”.  Fu costruita per lo più dai tagliapietre che venivano in origine dal Veneto.  La loro arte può essere notata su edifici e mura in tutta la città.  Come la sua controparte a New York, non molto rimane della “Little Italy” a Santa Barbara…eccetto un ristorante.p1160495

Il Caffè di Arnoldi è il più antico ristorante italiano a Santa Barbara.  Dal suo esterno in pietra sgrossata, si entra in un vivace bar e la sala da pranzo rivestita con vecchie foto e altri cimeli.  Poi si vede e sente l’odore meraviglioso del cibo: le linguine con vongole, le trenette al pesto, e gli gnocchi con una scelta di salse Tricolori.  Si può cenare all’aperto o sorseggiare un aperitivo sotto una pergola su un patio con luci scintillanti, e guardare i giocatori di bocce competere sui due campi all’aperto.  È da Arnoldi che ogni lunedì sera un gruppo di italofili si riuniscono in “Parliamo!”  Praticano l’italiano, scambiano consigli di viaggio, spettegolano, e, naturalmente, banchettano con la pasta.

Non lontano da Arnoldi, nel cuore di Santa Barbara, c’era il vecchio negozio di riparazione di scarpe di Salvatore Ferragamo.  Dalle sue umili origini nella regione della Campania, emigrò negli Stati Uniti all’età di 16 anni all’inizio del 1900 e si stabilì a Santa Barbara.  Il suo negozio ebbe molto successo in questa città, dove anche uno dei primi studi cinematografici fiorì.  Salvatore lasciò il negozio per trasferirsi a Hollywood per seguire la sua nuova vocazione—la progettazione di calzature per i film…e, infine, per i ricchi e i famosi in tutto il mondo.

Ma il collegamento tra l’Italia e Santa Barbara risale ben al di là del ventesimo secolo.  Dopo tutto, il nome che abbellisce la nostra città, provincia, canale, e missione proviene dalla santa che si venera in molte religioni, tra cui il cattolicesimo romano.  Anche se i fatti della sua vita non sono ufficialmente documentati, si ritiene che morì in Italia.  La festa di Santa Barbara è il 4 dicembre, il giorno in cui fu martirizzata perché si era convertita al cristianesimo.  Santa Barbara è la patrona in molte città italiane, tra cui Colleferro (nel Lazio), Bellano (nella Lombardia), Paternò (nella Sicilia), e Salento (nella Campania).  A Santa Barbara, una bella statua di legna che la rappresenta, adorna l’altare maggior della missione; la rappresentazione più antica conosciuta di lei è un affresco dell’ottavo secolo nella chiesa di Santa Maria al Foro Romano.p1160500

Sotto l’occhio vigile di Santa Barbara, I Madonnari, una festa che celebra i pittori dei marciapiedi (artisti di gesso), ha luogo vicino alle scale della Missione ogni maggio.  Questa pratica antica probabilmente risale al tredicesimo secolo, quando gli artisti che avevano completato il loro lavoro nelle cattedrali italiane riproducevano le immagini della Madonna sulla terra battuta o sulle piazze lastricate con gesso, mattoni, carbone, e pietre colorate.  Negli anni, la pratica quasi scomparve.  È stata ripresa nel 1973 a Grazie di Curtatone, una piccola città italiana a sud est di Milano.  E la sua prima apparizione nell’emisfero occidentale è stato, infatti, alla Missione di Santa Barbara nel 1987.

Dalla missione, andiamo a un altro punto di riferimento—il Palazzo di Giustizia di Santa Barbara, uno straordinario capolavoro architettonico in stile coloniale spagnolo, che è molto diffuso in tutta la città.  Particolarmente drammatiche sono le grandi porte di legno intagliate agli ingressi—alcuni imbellite da rame martellato.  All’interno ci sono graziosi archi, scale a chiocciola, e le gallerie che si aprono su balconi.  I corridoi sono rivestiti con piastrelle provenienti dalla Tunisia, i pavimenti con piastrelle in cotto e piastrelle decorative da Siviglia, Spagna; griglie in ferro battuto, ringhiere, e illuminazione anche in stile spagnolo.p1160485-1

Eppure due dei principali artisti che decorarono il palazzo di giustizia erano italiani.  Giovanni Battista Smeraldi (1868-1947) nacque in Sicilia, dipinse tutti i soffitti colorati ed elaborati.  La magia del suo pennello ha toccato le pareti di alcuni degli edifici più famosi del mondo, tra cui il Vaticano, la Casa Bianca, la Grand Central Station a New York, il Biltmore Hotel a Los Angeles, e il Breakers a Palm Beach, in Florida.

Ettore Cadorin (1876-1952), nacque a Venezia, scolpì la famosa fontana dei delfini, che è chiamata “Lo Spirito del Mare,” all’ingresso del tribunale.  Il Cadorin fu professore di arte e letteratura alla Columbia Università prima di fondare il suo studio a Santa Barbara.  I suoi lavori includono anche sculture architettoniche, monumenti e statue in pietra, bronzo, e avorio.  La sua statua in bronzo di Padre Serra rappresenta lo stato della California nel campidoglio di Washington, DC.fontana

Un giro di Santa Barbara non sarebbe completo senza una visita alle sue bellissime spiagge che ai miei amici italiani ricordano le spiagge del Bel Paese.  Qui A Santa Barbara c`e` molta polemica riguardo le navi da crociera giganti che entrano nel porto…proprio come a Venezia, dove i segni di protesta leggono “No Grandi Navi”.  Sono le spiagge, le montagne, il clima, e la vegetazione che attirano tanti italiani in questa bella città.  Infatti, abbiamo tre organizzazioni di servizio italo-americani qui…e stiamo tutti lavorando per aiutare la gente di Amatrice.ocean

Una volta iniziato questo giro in un ristorante italiano, si finisce in un altro stabilimento culinario con un forno a legna per la pizza.  Ecco un autentico forno a legna che riscalda a 800 gradi Fahrenheit e cuoce la pizza margherita in circa un minuto.  È stato progettato da Giuseppe Crisà, un ingegnare siciliano di Palermo, che possiede un attività qui a Santa Barbara, e spedisce forni in tutto il mondo.  In realtà, se posso vantarmi del mio amico, penso che sia il miglior produttore di forni in tutto il mondo!11834700_1129385910410600_4639632809536436118_o-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Architecture, Arte, California, Foto, Italiano, Santa Barbara, Sicilia, Venezia | 2 Comments

Through the Eyes of Italy: A Tour of Santa Barbara, California

Posted on February 17, 2017 by babbityjean

It all began here…at the corner of Olive and Cota Streets.  At the turn of the 20th century, as Italian immigrants flooded into the east coast of the United States, few people knew that on the west coast in Santa Barbara, California, a town of only about 20,000 then and about 90,000 today, there also was a “Little Italy.”  It was built mostly by stone masons originally from the Veneto; their artistry can be seen on edifices and walls throughout the city.  Like its counterpart in New York City, not much remains of Santa Barbara’s Little Italy…except for one restaurant.p1160495

Arnoldi’s Café is the oldest Italian restaurant in Santa Barbara.  From its rough-cut stone exterior, you enter into a bustling bar and dining room lined with old photos and other memorabilia.  You are immediately greeted by the sights and aromas of linguine alle vongole, trenette al pesto, and the signature gnocchi dishes with a choice of “tricolore” sauces.  One can dine al fresco or sip an aperitivo under a pergola on a patio with shimmering lights, and watch bocce players compete on the 2 outdoor courts.  It is at Arnoldi’s every Monday evening that a group of Italophiles join in “Parliamo!” (let’s talk).  We practice our Italian, exchange travel tips and gossip, and, of course, feast on pasta.

Not far from Arnoldi’s in the heart of Santa Barbara was the old shoe repair shop of Salvatore Ferragamo.  From his humble beginnings in the region of Campania, he emigrated to the United States at the age of 16 in the early 1900s and settled in Santa Barbara.  His shop was very successful in this city where one of the first film studios flourished.  Ferragamo eventually went to Hollywood to pursue his new calling–designing footwear for the movies–and eventually for the rich and famous throughout the world.

But the connection between Italy and Santa Barbara dates back much further than the 20th century.  After all, the name that graces our city, county, channel, and Mission comes from the Saint who is venerated in many religions, including Roman Catholicism.  Although the facts of her life are not officially documented, it is believed that she died in Italy.  Santa Barbara’s feast day is December 4, the day she was martyred because she had converted to Christianity.  Santa Barbara is the patron saint (“la patrona”) in many Italian cities, including Colleferro (Lazio), Bellano (Lombardy), Paternò (Sicily), and Salento (Campania).  In Santa Barbara, a beautiful wooden statue of her adorns the main altar of the Mission; the earliest known representation of her is from an eighth century fresco in the old Church of Saint Mary at the Roman Forum.p1160500

Under Santa Barbara’s watchful eye, I Madonnari, a festival celebrating street chalk artists, is held by the steps of the Mission each May.  This ancient practice possibly dates back to as early as the 13th century when artists who had completed their work in the Italian cathedrals reproduced images of the Madonna on packed dirt or paved public squares using chalk, brick, charcoal, and colored stones.  Over the years the practice nearly disappeared.  It was revived in 1973 in Grazie di Curtatone, a small Italian town southeast of Milan.  And its very first appearance in the Western Hemisphere was, in fact, at the Mission Santa Barbara in 1987.

From the Mission we go to another magnet landmark — the Santa Barbara Courthouse (“Il Palazzo di Giustizia”), a stunning architectural masterpiece in the Spanish Colonial Style that is so prevalent throughout the city.  Particularly dramatic are the large carved wooden doors at the entrances—some embellished with hammered copper.  Inside are graceful arches, spiral staircases, and galleries that open onto balconies.  The corridors are lined with tiles from Tunisia, the floors with terracotta tiles and decorative tiles from Seville, Spain; wrought-iron grill work,  railings, and lamp fixtures complete the Spanish style.p1160485-1

And yet two of the major artists who adorned the courthouse were Italian!  Giovanni Battista Smeraldi (1868-1947), who was born in Sicily, painted all the colorful and intricately designed ceilings.  He is considered by many critics to be the best decorative artist since the Renaissance.  The magic of his brush has touched the walls of some of the most famous buildings in the world, including the Vatican, the White House, Grand Central Station in New York City, the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, and the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.

Ettore Cadorin (1876-1952), who was born in Venice, sculpted the famous dolphin fountain at the entrance to the Courthouse called “The Spirit of the Ocean.”  Cadorin had been a professor of art and literature at Columbia University before setting up his studio in Santa Barbara.  His works also included architectural sculptures, monuments, and statuary in stone, bronze, and ivory.  His bronze statue of Father Serra represents the state of California in the Capitol in Washington, DC.fontana

A tour of Santa Barbara would not be complete without a visit to the beautiful beaches here that remind my Italian friends of the beaches of Bel Paese.  We even have a little controversy here about the giant cruise ships that enter the harbor…just like in Venice where protest signs read “No grandi navi.”  It is the beaches, the mountains, the weather, and the vegetation that attract so many Italians to this beautiful city.  In fact, we have 3 “Italo-Americano” service organizations here—and we are all working on earthquake relief for the people of Amatrice.ocean

Since we started this tour at an Italian restaurant, let us end at another culinary establishment:  a pizza oven. Here is an authentic wood-burning oven that cranks up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit and cooks your margherita pizza in about 1 minute!  It was designed by Giuseppe Crisà, a Sicilian engineer from Palermo, who owns a business and workshop here in Santa Barbara and ships ovens all over the world.  In fact, if I can brag a little about “il mio amico,” I think he is equal to or better than any oven maker in Italy and certainly the best pizza oven maker outside of Italy!11834700_1129385910410600_4639632809536436118_o-1

 

Posted in Architecture, Arte, California, English, Foto, Santa Barbara, Sicilia, Storia, Venezia | 4 Comments