Museo Diocesano, Orsara di Puglia

29 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Art history, Italia, Italian life, Orsara di Puglia, Photography, Puglia

Tags

Italian history, Museo Diocesano Orsara di Puglia, Orsara di Puglia, Palazzo Varo, Puglia, Southern Italy

The last time I was in the Museo Diocesano di Orsara di Puglia was about 1980. It looks as if hardly anyone else has been there either! The Museo is right around the corner from my casa, and it is not usually open. To visit, you need to ask for the person who has the key. Last week I was walking by and noticed it was open as there was a photo exhibit in one of the rooms. As I walked up the stone staircase it was like stepping through time.

My accidental selfie

The Museo occupies part of the upper floor of the Palazzo Varo, a 16th Century building that was part of the Abbazia dell’Angelo. The famiglia Varo sold the palazzo and it became a convent for the ‘Monache Bianche’ or white nuns. When the sisters moved in the 1960’s it became the Scuola Media until a new school was built. In the 1970’s, some of the rooms became a depository for archeological relics and museum items. The bottom floor was recently remodelled into a very nice meeting/conference area. The upper floor has a separate entrance and is in an elegant state of decay, to match the artifacts it is housing.

The collection is actually really impressive and reflects the history of the area. Most of the artifacts, except the sacred items formerly used in the parish, have been donated, collected and collated by volunteers. The Museo encompasses a time span from Neolithic to mid 20th Century. That’s a really long time! The bronze and selce (flint) tools and utensils, earthenware vessels, lamps, tomb decorations and even fragments of a 10th Century pavimento (mosaic pavement) were dug up by contadini (farmers/peasants) while plowing their fields.

Roman lucerne -oil lamps

Ascia e lancie in Bronzo (bronze hatchet and spears)

There are also farm implements, tools, utensils and household items used by local contadini in daily life. The lack of formal organization and cataloguing of the items makes the place so much more interesting. The crumbling, aging plaster walls of the formerly grand Palazzo provide a beautiful, yet ironic backdrop for the crumbling rusted work and field implements used by contadini Orsarese.

The Museo is definitely worth a visit-you need to ask at the Parish or Comune (Town Hall) for someone to let you in. Let me know if you need more info on this, and read Benvenuti ad Orsara di Puglia!

A piattaia, called a ‘scudular’ (scoo.doo.lahr) in Orsarese. I have one just like it, made by a friend of Papà’s. My plates are quite a bit newer though!

I Trulli di Alberobello

24 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Photography, Puglia, Travel

≈ 26 Comments

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Alberobello, Architecture, Bandiera Arancione, Italian history, Italy travel tips, Puglia, Rione Aja Piccola, Rione Monti, Southern Italy, Trulli, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Val d'Itria, Vernacular architecture, Zona dei Trulli

As the car nears Alberobello, trulli (TROOL•lee) start to appear in the rural landscape and my imagination goes into overtime. I hear the tune ‘La-la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la’ in my head and I expect i Puffi (the Smurfs) to start dancing around the whitewashed trulli! Too much midday Pugliese sun maybe? Trulli are traditional limestone houses unique to the Val d’Itria in Southern Puglia. They were built ‘a secco’, which means dry-without mortar. Trulli have domed cone-shaped roofs built up of overlapping chiancharelle (kyan•ka•REL•leh)-grey limestone slabs. On the capstone at the top is a decorative pinnacolo (pinnacle). The shape of the pinnacolo is said to be a signature of the stonemason who built it. Some roofs also have mythologic or religious symbols painted on them.

‘La Zona dei Trulli’ includes the areas around Locorotondo, Fasano, Cisternino, Martina Franca, Ceglie Massapica and the largest concentration of 1,620 trulli in Alberobello. Alberobello and its trulli are aUNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO believes Alberobello is an exceptional example of the survival of prehistoric building techniques that are still in use. The fact that the buildings are so well-preserved and still occupied make the site unique.

The word trullo comes from tholos (τρούλος) a variation of the Greek word for cupola or dome. There were already scattered trulli settlements in the Val d’Itria around the year 1000. These gradually grew into villages, later called Aja Piccola and Monti-the 2 trulli districts in Alberobello today. The oldest trulli we know of date back to about 1350 when the Counts Acquaviva of Conversano were given land for their service during the Crusades and colonized the area by moving people from their nearby areas.

Tradition has it that building ‘a secco’ was imposed on the settlers so their houses could be dismantled quickly and easily. At first this was so the Count could easily dispossess villagers of their homes. Later it was a way to evade taxation imposed on each new construction by the King of Napoli. Trulli could be dismantled when the tax collector came by for an inspection, and then reconstructed just as quickly when he left. Trulli came to be known as temporary, unstable field shelters that were not worth taxing.

Trullo Siamese. 2 brothers in love with the same woman lived here. They split it in half and the single brother installed a door into the lane.

In reality, trulli are anything but unstable or primitive. They are built directly on the underlying natural rock and their internal structure is very durable. The thick double walls keep the trullo warm in winter and cool in summer. There are systems for collecting rainwater using eaves projecting at the base of the roof diverting water through a channelled slab into a cistern underneath the trullo. Some trullo homes are made up of groups of 2- 5 trulli. Most historians agree that the building technique for trulli came about due to the area’s geographical conditions and abundance of limestone. The quickie evictions and tax evasion scam came later.

In the early 1600’s there was a group of about 40 trulli in Rione Monti (Monti District) then settlement and trullo construction really expanded with the addition of a bakery, mill, tavern and butcher shop. In 1797 the feudal rule of the Acquaviva family ended when Ferdinand IV, King of Napoli proclaimed the community a ‘citta regia’, or royal town. Alberobello took its name from silva arboris belli, the Latin name for the region.

Inner-city trulli?

Today Rione Monti has 1,030 trulli and Rione Aja Piccola has 590 trulli, many of which are still inhabited as homes by some of Alberobello’s 11,000 residents. You can also find the trullo church of Sant’Antonio di Padova, trullo souvenir shops and ristoranti, and a trullo hotel. In the surrounding countryside there are many trullo masserie (farmhouses) that can be rented.

Exterior of a single trullo and interior of a trullo photo and art gallery

In 2010 along with Orsara di Puglia, Alberobello was distinguished with a Bandiera Arancione (orange flag) designation, a seal of quality from the Touring Club Italiano. Alberobello can be accessed by train or bus from Bari. Although Alberobello is quite ‘touristy’, it still retains its charm and is definitely worth a visit. If you can brave the mid-day sun in the summer, the cast shadows against whitewashed walls are an artist’s and photographer’s dream….but if you start dreaming about i Puffi, you had better go find some shade!

Alberobello souvenirs. A linen towel and my very own very cute trullo. I bought it the first time I visited Alberobello. It’s made of real limestone and chiancharelle.

Not all of the buildings in Alberobello are trulli

Ciao, Cristina

The Miracle Players, Roma

15 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Culture, Italia, Roma, Travel tips

≈ 8 Comments

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Foro Romano, Italian history, Italy travel tips, Roma, Roma english speaking theater, Roman Forum, The Miracle Players

If Monty Python meets the history of the Roman Empire sounds appealing, you will love the Miracle Players. They are an English speaking theater group in Roma made up of expats from around the world. They perform hysterically historical original comic works at the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) each summer.

Miracle Players performances feature volunteer swordfighters and high tech special effects!

I have been to 3 of their performances; ‘Caesar-More than just a Salad’, ‘The Life of Michelangelo’, and ‘The Seven Kings of Rome’. This year they are performing the rhyming ‘Rome in a Nutshell’.

If you will be in Roma on a Friday between June 26 and July 31, check out the performance at 7:30pm sharp. It is free and no reservation required. Get there early to sit on the stairs of the church facing the action-Chiesa dei Santi Luca e Martina. Bring something to sit on if your culetto doesn’t like hard stairs or pavement.

The production crew takes a break

The performance is across from the Carcere Mamertino (Mamertine Prison) at the Roman Forum. This is below the Campidoglio and behind Il Vittoriano. The location is easy to get to. Take the Metro B blue line to Colosseo and walk down Via dei Fori Imperiali. There is a map on The Miracle Players website. The stage backdrop is the Roman Forum itself-how can you top that!

Dante Alighieri

31 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Firenze, Italia, Italian language

≈ 19 Comments

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Dante, Dante Alighieri, Firenze, Italian history, Italian language, Italian literature, La Divina Commedia

Statue of Dante in Piazza Santa Croce, Firenze

Auguri Dante! 2015 is the 750th anniversary of the birth of Dante. His actual birth date is unknown, but he does provide clues in ‘Paradiso’ that he was born under the sign of Gemini. In 1265, Gemini was mid May to mid June, a bit earlier than it is now.

Dante is known as the ‘Father of the Italian Language’. His most famous work La Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy) is considered a masterpiece, the first and also the greatest work of literature in the Italian language. In the late medieval period, Latin was the only language for education, literature and religion. La Divina Commedia was the first major work written in a language of ordinary speech, the way people actually spoke at home. Dante combined Tuscan and other dialects and some Latin, establishing the modern Italian language. Even though La Divina Commedia was written in 1308-20 the language is understandable today.

La Divina Commedia is a long poem in 3 parts, emphasizing the importance of salvation and Divine love. It outlines Dante’s imaginary trip to Paradiso (Heaven), passing through L’Inferno (Hell) and Purgatorio (Purgatory) to get there. It is also a critique of famous figures of his time. The work is filled with historical references and discusses politics, religion, ethics and love. La Divina Commedia has no jokes and is not funny. The reason it is called a commedia is because it is not a tragedia (trajedy) and it has a happy ending.

Dante was born in Firenze (Florence). He studied philosophy, poetry, and was also a pharmacist because nobles in public office had to belong to one of the city’s guilds. This isn’t as strange as it sounds because books were sold by pharmacies at the time. Dante’s family was involved in the Guelfi/Ghibellini (Guelph/Ghibelline) conflicts. The Guelfi supported the Papacy and the Ghibellini supported the Holy Roman Emperor -although there wasn’t actually one at the time. The Guelfi split into 2 groups because the Pope at the time kept interfering with internal matters in Firenze. The Guelfi Bianchi (White Guelphs) did not want the Pope involved in city politics and the Guelfi Neri (Black Guelphs) supported complete Pope authority. Dante’s family were Guelfi Bianchi. In 1302, Firenze was occupied by the Guelfi Neri and the Guelfi Bianchi, including Dante, were exiled. The other Guelfi Bianchi in exile were pardoned a few years later, but not Dante. He was kind of a badass in exile and burnt his bridges by writing many nasty letters, so he stayed in Roma. Dante was offered amnesty in 1315, but there were strings attached and a heavy fine which he couldn’t pay. He wrote La Divina Commedia while in exile and managed to write all of his opponents to eternal damnation, imaginatively making up all sorts of horrible existances for them in l’Inferno. He obviously put a lot of effort into coming up with all of the horrible details! If Dante were alive today I think he would be writing political satire in Paris.

Dante never returned to his beloved Firenze. He moved to Ravenna, where he completed Paradiso and died in exile in 1321. He is buried in the the church of San Francesco. Firenze regretted what had happened and repeatedly asked for Dante’s remains. A tomb was built in 1829 in Santa Croce but the requests were refused. In June 2008, Firenze passed a motion rescinding his sentence and exile. Meglio tardi che mai/Better late than never!

Piazza Santa Croce with statue of Dante on the left.

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje

01 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Culture, Feste, Italian Folklore, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

≈ 7 Comments

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Falò e Teste del Purgatorio, Italian history, Muscitaglia, November 1st, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia, Pugliese Traditions, Pumpkin carving, Southern Italy, Traditional Festivals in Puglia, Tutti i Santi Festa

Piazza San Pietro. Photo courtesy of International Photo Correspondent Donato Narducci

Fucacoste e cocce priatorje is dialetto Orsarese for ‘Falò e teste del Purgatorio’. This translates to ‘Bonfires and heads from purgatory’. It is an ancient festival unique to Orsara di Puglia celebrated on November 1st, the night of ‘Tutti i Santi’ (All Saints Day). All Saints Day was created in the 9th century when the Pope superimposed a Christian feast day onto existing rituals, so this festa has been around for a very long time. It is a night where people have the opportunity to honour, reconnect and pay respect to the spirits of their loved ones. Carabinieri estimate that Orsara (pop 3,000) had 40,000 visitors attend the festa tonight, with 9,000 cars parked up to 3 km away!

2014 poster for Fucacoste e cocce priatorje

It is believed that the souls of the dead return among the living to visit their relatives and their former homes before moving on to Paradiso. The bonfires are lit with wood and branches of ginestra (broom). The light of the fires and the crackling and sparks of the ginestra attract the spirits to reunite the living with those who continue to live only in their memories. The souls of the dead loved ones collect ashes from the fires. The gleam of light inside ‘cocce priatorje’, pumpkins carved to look like heads-light their way to find their former home.

Preparation for the festa involves gathering firewood and ginestra, preparing food and carving zucche (pumpkins). There is even a BYOZ (bring your own zucca) pumpkin carving workshop. Later in the evening zucche are exhibited and there is a contest for ‘la zucca più bella’-the best zucca.

In honour of the dead, simple but symbolic foods are prepared. These include potatoes, onions, salsicce (sausages) and castagne (chestnuts) cooked in open fire. Muscitaglia is a traditional dish served on November 1st which probably dates back from the ancient Greeks and Byzantines. Muscitaglia (moo•shee•tah•lyah) in both Greek and Latin is made up of the words mosto (wine must) and talia (grain). The ingredients include boiled grain and vino cotto (literally cooked wine-also called mosto cotto). Pomegranate seeds and walnut pieces are sometimes added. These ingredients are symbols of fertility and abundance, but also of honour and respect for the dead.

When the campanile (church tower bell) strikes 1900 hours (7 pm), Orsara di Puglia ‘catches fire’. Over 100 bonfires are simultaneously lit in every street and piazza and remain lit through the night. The fires, pumpkin lanterns, music and people in the streets create a magical, enchanted atmosphere. In 2017 I attended the festa and took photos. They are in the post Tutti i Santi.

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje has often been confused with Hallowe’en, but it is a very different event. Besides the fact that the date is different, dressing up in costume is not part of the custom, there is nothing scary about it and there are no evil spirits to chase away. It has more similarities with the Mexican Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. This is an event about being together in community to celebrate the bond between the living and those who we remember in our hearts, and to remind us that our time on earth is precious.

Watch the video ‘#quinonèhalloween’ featuring 94 year old Z’Gaetan talking about the festa and its significance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W5RD0-9H-A

Read about tonight’s festa (in Italiano) on the Comune di Orsara di Puglia website. For more about Orsara di Puglia read the post ‘Benvenuti ad Orsara di Puglia’. Ci vediamo alla festa!

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje, Fontana Sant'Angelo, Orsara di Puglia 2014. Photo courtesy of Donato Narducci

Le Isole Tremiti

16 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Photography, Puglia, Travel

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Alidaunia, Diomedes, Fellini, Il Gargano, Isole Tremiti, Italia, Italian history, Italy travel tips, Parco Nazionale del Gargano, photography, Puglia, Southern Italy

San Nicola and Cretaccio seen from above the helipad, San Domino

The Isole Tremiti (ee∙SOH∙leh treh∙MEE∙tee) are an archipelago of 3-5 islands-depending on what you consider an island-in the Adriatic Sea, 22 km off the coast of Italia. The Tremiti, considered ‘le perle dell’Adriatico’ (the pearls of the Adriatic), have been inhabited since at least the 4th century BC. They are part of the Parco Nazionale del Gargano (Gargano National Park) http://www.parcogargano.it and have been a protected Marine Nature Reserve (Riserva Naturale Marina Isole Tremiti) since 1989. The clear waters make the islands a popular spot for snorkeling, scuba diving and even bird watching.

Isole Tremiti Satellite View

Flying into San Domino by helicopter

San Domino is the largest island and has most of the facilities such as hotels, restaurants, the Tremiti Diving Center, and the heliport. It is covered by lush Aleppo pine forest, capers and rosemary, and surrounded by small coves and sea caves. San Domino has the Tremiti’s only sandy beach –Cale delle Arene. The rocky coves are beautiful to explore and swim-but don’t go barefoot! My friend stepped on a riccio di mare (sea urchin) and it was not fun. There is a 2 hour walk around part of the island and bicycles are available for rent.

The small port, San Domino

Cale delle Arene, San Domino-the only sandy beach on the Isole Tremiti

Scoglio dell ‘Elefante, San Domino, looks like a giant sitting elephant drinking from the sea

San Nicola is the administrative and historic center of the islands, and where most of the 400 or so permanent residents live. The 11th Century Benedictine abbey and church of Santa Maria del Mare seem to rise up out of the limestone cliffs, with fortified walls starting at the port. The church has a beautiful 11th century mosaic floor and a Byzantine painted wood crucifix that was likely brought here by monks fleeing from the Crusades.

San Nicola, seen from San Domino

San Nicola Porto

Bagnetto anyone?

Capraia (or Caprara) is rocky and uninhabited except for sea birds. It is named for the capers that grow there. There is no organized transport to Capraia, but local fishermen can be hired to take people over.

San Nicola and Capraia. Yes those are solar panels down there!

Cretaccio is an uninhabited halfmoon shaped block of yellowish clay between San Domino and San Nicola. Cretaccio literally means ‘big hunk of clay’.
Pianosa is 11 km away from the other islands and is the most northern point of Puglia. It can be covered by waves during storms, as the elevation is only 15 m. The waters surrounding Pianosa are in zone A of the Marine Reserve, so access is strictly prohibited except for approved marine research.

Cretaccio and San Domino, seen from Santa Maria al Mare, San Nicola

The islands are sometimes known by their former name ‘Le Diomedee’ or ‘I Sassi di Diomede’ and you see a lot of things in the Gargano area called ‘Diomede’. According to legend/mythology, after the Trojan War, the Greek hero Diomedes settled in the Daunia area (Province of Foggia) and created the islands with 3 rocks he threw into the Adriatic. He was also shipwrecked on the islands with his crew and possibly died here.

La tomba di Diomede on San Nicola.

There is an unmarked Hellenic period tomb on San Nicola that is known as ‘la tomba di Diomede’. His crew was so upset at the loss of their captain that the Goddess Venus took pity on the grieving men and turned them into birds that continue to cry for their loss. The scientific name for the Great Albatross which is common in the area, is ‘Diomedea’. These birds look a lot like seagulls and make a noise that can sound like a crying newborn. In Fellini’s ‘Otto e mezzo’ (8½) there is a scene where a cardinal tells this story to Guido (Marcello Mastroianni).

A Diomedea, San Domino

The islands also have a long history as a place of exile. Emperor Octavius Augustus confined his granddaughter Giulia to San Nicola for adultery with a Roman senator. She remained there until her death 20 years later. One of the necropoli beneath the abbey could be her tomb. Ferdinand, king of Napoli turned the abbey into a penal colony. A hundred years later, another Ferdinand tried to repopulate the islands with criminals and people moved in from the slums. For many years, the Fascists imprisoned those considered a danger to the public on the Isole Tremiti. One of the prisoners held there was Sandro Pertini, future president of the Italian Republic.

Alidaunia flies from Foggia to San Domino daily

I have visited the islands several times by helicopter. As you can see in the photos, the emerald water is so crystal clear you can see the bottom from the air! The wonderful thing about visiting the Isole Tremiti is that there are no large hotels or resorts. All of the hotels are small and surrounded by pine forest, so although this is a tourist destination, it doesn’t feel overrun with people. The Isole Tremiti are accessible by 1-2 hour ferry ride from Vieste, Peschici, Rodi Garganico, Manfredonia and Termoli, or by half hour helicopter ride from Foggia http://www.alidaunia.it .

Over San Nicola

Buon Viaggio!

Benvenuti ad Orsara di Puglia

25 Sunday May 2014

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

≈ 63 Comments

Tags

Bandiera Arancione, Cittaslow, Culture, Italia, Italian history, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia, San Michele, Southern Italy

View of Orsara di Puglia

Orsara di Puglia is ‘un borgo medioevale incantevole’ (an enchanting medieval village) on the slopes of Monte San Marco in the Dauno Subappenino area at an elevation of 650 m (~2100 ft). It is surrounded by forests, rolling hills, vineyards, wheat fields and olive groves. Until 1927, it was in the province of Avellino (Campania) which is why it is called Orsara di Puglia. In 1951, before mass emigration, the population was over 7,000. Today the permanent population is just under 3,000. I spent the first 27 months of my life here, and I return every year for some ‘aria di montagna’ (fresh mountain air). This post is an introduction…the first of many Orsarese posts!

Orsara di Puglia-NASA Satellite view

Orsara is built on a site with natural caves, which made it favourable for settlement. There is evidence of settlement in the area in the 11th Century BC, and Greek colonization as early as the 8th Century BC. There are many legends about the origins of Orsara, but my favourite-definitely the coolest-is that it was founded by the Greek hero Diomedes, who came to Puglia after the Trojan War. Legend also has it that a bear and her cubs had a lair in one of the caves Orsara was built on. The name comes from the Latin Ursus (bear) and aria= Ursaria meaning a place of bears.

The oldest part of Orsara, the Centro Storico or historic town center, is built around the Complesso Abbaziale dell’Angelo. This complex consists of the pre-7^th Century cave church Grotta di San Michele Archangelo with a connecting 1527 church, the exquisite Romanesque Chiesa dell’ Annunziata, and Palazzo Baronale. The last 2 were the former Abbazia di Sant’Angelo (Abbey of the Holy Angel), a monastery built in the 11^th-13^th Century. The Abbazia included a hostel for pilgrims and was home to several orders of monks, incuding the Spanish Cavalieri di Calatrava (Knights of Calatrava) who arrived in 1224. The Calatrava expanded the abbazia, including a hospital, and were an important part of Orsara’s history. Palazzo Baronale is now private homes except for the basement which is an archeological museum. The Complesso Abbaziale has seasonal opening hours, and can also be visited by appointment.

Complesso Abbaziale dell’Angelo, seen from Piano Paradiso. The tall, tower-like building is the Chiesa dell’Annunziata.

Orsara di Puglia is a member of the Slow Food movement Cittaslow. A gastronomic paradise, Orsara has 8 restaurants, 4 pizzerie, an enoteca, a pub and a cooking school http://www.peppezullo.it. Orsara even has its own designated DOC cheese-cacioricotta, and 3 IGT designated wines. Thanks to the maze of steep, windy cobblestone streets and my morning walk to La Montagna Spaccata, I can eat lots yummy food and still fit into my clothes.

Caciocavallo, pecorino, capicollo & cacioricotta

In 2010, along with Alberobello, Orsara became one of only 6 towns in Puglia to be distinguished with a Bandiera Arancione (orange flag), a seal of quality from the Touring Club Italiano. The Club certifies small inland towns that are welcoming to visitors and have historic, cultural and environmental significance. For more information http://www.paesiarancioni.net (in Italiano) and http://www.bestsmalltownsitaly.com/town/orsara-di-puglia-apulia-south-islands/ (in English). There are now 13 paesi Pugliesi with a Bandiera Arancione designation.

Via Vittorio Emanuele

Via Buonarroti

Since 1988, Orsara hosts a Festa del Vino the last weekend in June. The Orsara Musica Jazz Festival and Orsara International Jazz Workshop are held the last week in July. Orsara has 2 patron saints and protectors; Aug 5th is the Festa della Madonna della Neve, and Sept 29th the Festa di San Michele Arcangelo. The night between Nov 1st and Nov 2nd is the Festa dei Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorije, an ancient tradition to honour the dead. For more information on events, check Orsara di Puglia’s official website and blog.

Via Principe Amedeo

Ci vediamo ad Orsara! Buon Viaggio, Cristina

‘Il Gigante’- Michelangelo’s David

27 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Art, Art history, Culture, Firenze, Italia

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Art, Art history, Culture, Firenze, Italia, Italian history, Michelangelo

Davide
The sculpture of David by Michelangelo Buonarroti is one of the most recognizable pieces of art in the world. David was in progress from 1501-1504, carved from a ginormous piece of ‘flawed’ Carrara marble. It weighed over 6,000 kilos! 2 other sculptors had previously attempted to use it, and there was a big gaping hole going right through it-between where the legs were going to go. It was nicknamed ‘Il Gigante’ and was sitting in the Opera del Duomo (the works yard of Santa Maria del Fiore) for over 30 years. Several other artists had been to see it, but it was considered useless; too tall and too thin on one side for a figure…and then there was that hole.

Michelangelo was already a bit of a minor celebrity, having just completed his first ‘capolavoro’ (masterpiece), La Pietá, in Roma at the age of 25. He convinced the Operai to let him have the marble. He decided to use it for the originally intended subject; David, the boy who killed the Philistine giant Goliath with his slingshot, 1 rock, and a lot of help from God. Michelangelo strategically planned his figure in contrapposto, with most of the weight on the right leg, so that it would fit precisely around the large hole in the marble. He even had to leave some of the chisel marks on the chest area made by Simone da Fiesole, one of the previous sculptors because it was such a tight fit. David was supposed to go on one of the pedestals at the end of the buttresses on the roofline of Santa Maria del Fiore (often referred to simply as Il Duomo) with 12 other Old Testament sculptures.

David was originally planned for one of these pedestals on the buttresses of Santa Maria del Fiore

When David was completed in 1504, he was so big-9 arms lengths or 3 times human size, it became apparent they were not going to be able to hoist him up to the roofline of Il Duomo! He was so magnificent that it was also thought to be a waste to put him so high up where no one could see him. According to the original art historian, Giorgio Vasari, ‘To be sure, anyone who sees this statue need not be concerned with seeing any other piece of sculpture done in our times or in any period by any other artist’. Not everyone was a fan though-some said he didn’t look like a boy, he looked like a grown man, others thought he should be wearing armour-or at least something, and there was no head of Goliath at his feet. This David was captured in the moments before slaying Goliath. His right hand is starting to tense, and the contrapposto stance makes it seem like his body could twist to the left to be in line with his head.

A committee was formed to decide where David should live. Members included Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Filippino Lippi. They decided to place David on a pedestal outside the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall of Firenze in the Piazza della Signoria. This was partly a political statement. David was the ‘little guy’ who defeated the giant. He became of symbol of the new Republic of Firenze, democratic ideals, and a warning to enemies. It was not an accident that his eyes faced Roma. Moving ‘Il Gigante’ took 40 men 4 days to move the distance of less than 1 km from the studio. David was suspended in a sling in a tall cart and rolled over 14 greased logs. The men would take the back log and move it to the front as the cart moved along.

In 1527, during an anti-Medici protest, David’s left arm was broken in 3 pieces by a bench thrown out the window of the Palazzo Vecchio to ward off the protesters. The pieces were picked up by 2 boys who braved the mob. I’ve read in a few places that one of these boys was Giorgio Vasari, who would have been 16 at the time. He doesn’t mention this in his 1560’s bestseller ‘The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects’, which makes me think this might just be Renaissance urban legend. The 3 pieces were eventually reattached with copper nails, and the 2 joint lines are visible. In 1873, David was moved to his present home in the Galleria dell’Accademia to prevent further environmental damage.