Art

23 Jan Monza – An undiscovered treasure on the doorstep of Milan

Posted at 07:12h in Architecture, Art, Destinations by Italian Tours

Image by James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nestled in the heart of Lombardy, just a short drive from Milan, Monza is a largely undiscovered destination steeped in history and culture. If you’re looking for a day trip from Milan, Monza might be just the thing. This charming city is a treasure trove of historical significance and architectural wonders.

Monza’s history dates back to Roman times, but it truly rose to prominence during the Middle Ages, when it was a more significant centre than Milan.

The city’s crown jewel is the stunning Basilica di Monza, a masterpiece of Romanesque-Gothic architecture. This cathedral houses the Iron Crown of Lombardy, said to contain a nail from the True Cross and to symbolise the unity of the Lombard people. Legend has it that the crown was used in the coronation of Charlemagne in 774 and was definitely used throughout the Middle Ages in the coronations of various Holy Roman Emperors, including Napoleon. The Iron Crown is a circlet made of gold and set with precious gems. Recent scientific studies indicate that its current form can be traced back to modifications made between the 4th and 5th centuries and the 9th century. It is likely a late antique royal symbol, potentially of Ostrogothic origin, passed down to the Lombard kings and eventually acquired by the Carolingian monarchs.

Other things thing to see in Monza:

Chapel of Teodolinda: A chapel set on the northern side of the Basilica di Monza, the Teodolinda Chapel houses the Iron Crown. It contains a beautiful fresco cycle, recently restored, that depicts scenes from the life of Teodolinda, the 6th Century Queen of the Lombards.
Villa Reale (Royal Palace of Monza): Wander through the expansive park surrounding the Villa Reale, a neoclassical masterpiece commissioned by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. The palace and its grounds offer a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Autodromo Nazionale Monza: For racing enthusiasts, visiting the famous Monza Circuit is a must. This historic racetrack has hosted Formula One races since 1922 and is a shrine for motorsport fans.
Arengario Palace: Explore the Arengario Palace, which houses the Civic Art Collections and Contemporary Art Gallery. The palace itself is an architectural gem, and the collections inside showcase historic and contemporary Italian art.
Monza Park (Parco di Monza): Enjoy a leisurely stroll or a bike ride through Monza Park, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. The park features lush greenery, charming bridges, and the historic Royal Villa.

Culinary Delights:

No visit to Monza would be complete without trying the local cuisine. Indulge in traditional Lombard dishes at one of the many charming restaurants around the city. Local specialities include Risotto alla Monzese, a creamy risotto featuring saffron, a nod to the Lombard countryside’s agricultural heritage. Another must-try is Cassoeula, a savoury pork and cabbage stew, representing the hearty fare enjoyed during colder months. Also try the local cheese and Brianza salami, which are made in the area just outside Monza.

We visit Monza on our Italian Lakes and Lombardy tour in June 2024.

20 Nov CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT DA VINCI’S LAST SUPPER

Posted at 04:37h in Art by Italian Tours

Most visitors to Milan will make the pilgrimage to see Leonard da Vinci’s Last Supper in the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. This massive painting covered the back wall of the dining hall, inspiring silent reflection among the inhabitants. Most people are also familiar with the subject: the moment at the Last Supper when Jesus announces that one of those present will betray him.

However, there are other aspects to this painting that may well surprise you.

1. The Last Supper is not a fresco: it’s a mural using a technique known as fresco secco. Unlike normal fresco, where painters work on wet plaster so that the pigments become part of the wall, fresco secco mixes pigments with a binding agent, which is applied to a dry wall. The colours are bolder and brighter but, unfortunately, less durable. Within twenty years of its completion the Last Supper began to flake and had almost entirely disappeared a hundred years later.

2. The painting has survived many different violations. In 1625 the monks, believing the painting to be of no further value, cut a doorway through the painting, destroying Jesus feet and part of the table.
– In 1796, Napoleon’s troops used the space as a stable and amused themselves by throwing clay at the Apostles’ faces.
– In 1800 the building was flooded and the painting covered with green mould.
– Many of the seven documented attempts to restore the painting did more harm than good. In the 19^th century restorers, using alcohol and cotton swabs, removed an entire layer of paint.
– In 1943 Allied bombers destroyed the entire monastery. Despite sandbagging, the painting still suffered damage.

3. The most recent restoration was completed in 1999, a 22 year, 50,000 hour project. The project was controversial, with criticism of the type water colour paint and the intensity of colour used. It is estimated that some seventeen per cent of the surface has been completely lost and that less than half of the surface currently visible was actually painted by Da Vinci.

4. This painting continues to excite the imagination with speculation about the recurrence of the number three; the meaning of the spilled salt in front of Judas and the leavened bread; the theory that Da Vinci himself is represented in the figure of St James the Lesser (second Apostle from the left).[/vc_column_text]

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And if you’re interested in more, thriller writer Dan Browne has gone to town with all kinds of mysterious and mystical references in his book The Da Vinci Code.

To visit The Last Supper, you’ll need to book online some months in advance. The convent admits only small groups of about twenty people, for about twenty minutes at a time. Book at the official website to avoid the many scalpers and resellers and their ridiculous fees.

We always visit the Last Supper as part of our Milan and the Italian Lakes tour, next scheduled for June 2017.

06 May THE STORY BEHIND APOLLO AND DAPHNE

Posted at 02:55h in Art by Italian Tours

First time visitors to the Galleria Borghese are often surprised and a little annoyed that they must leave all their belongings outside the gallery. Not even small handbags are allowed inside. But as soon as you enter the gallery the reason is obvious: it’s more like visiting a private home, with artworks not only on the walls but intimately located in the middle of rooms as well. No place for a carelessly swinging handbag here!

In a treasure house boasting works by Caravaggio, Titian, Raphael and Rubens, it’s asking for trouble to single out one masterpiece. But the collection boasts about half a dozen sculptures by the darling of the Baroque popes, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and it is justifiable to nominate Apollo and Daphne as the most spectacular of these.

This dynamic marble sculpture stands in the middle of the room and tells the story of the warrior god Apollo and his relentless love for the nymph Daphne. According to the myth Apollo, full of warrior-like chutzpah, came across the love god Eros who was using his bows and arrows to shoot darts of love into his targets. Apollo sneered at Eros, telling him that he should not be playing with warriors’ weapons. Incensed Eros prepared two arrows, one of lead to incite hatred and one of gold to incite unquenchable love. He shot the lead arrow into Daphne’s heart and the gold into Apollo’s heart.

Daphne had already spurned many potential lovers and had begged her father, the river god Peneus, to let her remain unmarried so Apollo’s prospects were never rosy. Nevertheless he pursued her and she, filled with loathing, fled. Intent on further mischief, Eros intervened again, helping Apollo to catch up to the desperate girl. Seeing that Apollo was about to catch her, Daphne called to her father, asking him to change her shape to save her. And with the cruelty that characterised so many of the gods, Peneus did just that, transforming her into a laurel bay tree. Realising he could never have her as his wife, Apollo vowed to tend the laurel tree, promising that her leaves would crown victors and that she would remain evergreen.

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Bernini’s statue captures the very moment of Daphne’s transformation. At the instant Apollo lays hands on her, her outstretched fingers grow leaves, her skin turns to bark and her feet are rooted to the ground. She looks wildly into space, doubtless appalled by what is happening to her, while Apollo realises he will never possess her.

It was originally placed so that the observer’s first view was from behind Apollo and so that the rest of the story could unfold as the observer walked around the statue. So take a few moments to walk slowly round this statue and let the story emerge.

Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul IV amassed the significant collection in the Gallery Borghese in the 17th Century and housed it in his newly built villa on the family estate. Today, the museum strictly controls numbers, with visitors being admitted at two-hourly intervals, so be sure to pre-book your tickets for a designated entry time on the gallery’s website. Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne is located on the ground floor of the museum, with his other masterpiece The Rape of Propserpina.