Living in Lecce, Part 2

Catholic Baroque in Lecce 

This southern region of Puglia is a very Catholic part of Catholic Italy. Visiting the many churches in Lecce (and in other nearby excursions), the daily masses are well attended, in contrast to other parts of Italy we've explored.  Cathedrals and churches abound in all directions, and all seem to have some special treasure to gaze at, some historical feature to note, and many, many confessionals, should you need them. 

In Lecce you can find an impressive church at literally each turn you take, with more than 20 elaborate stone churches in the historic centre alone! Given all these structures, no wonder Lecce's is famous for its own style of elaborated Baroque. Santa Croce is often heralded as the most ornate of these (under renovation as I write), but none are negligible.  I've looked at and into each one, and the photos taken would fill an album. (All photos here were taken by me)

An overall impression that remains is, of course, the baroque stone elaborations outside and inside the churches, something for which Lecce is known. Particularly, however, I've been delighted by how all of the churches seem to love cherubs: chubby little angels appear again and again, entwined with flowers, plants, and ornaments or with each other. And what's not to love? They seem spirited, hopeful, and add a touch of gaiety to otherwise somber matters.

inside one of Lecce's grand churches

Given the many notable chuches in Lecce, I'll  highlight just one of the lesser known, dedicated to Saints Nicolo and Cataldo.Walking to it takes you away from the hub of the city and near a cemetery and park. Once we thought we were in its vicinity, but still couldn't locate it, we asked for directions from a young local couple walking with their child. They had no idea it even existed. So we walked together to find the place, and it was a pleasure sharing our delight with them at this discovery.

Contrasting architecture of domed church,  cloister and pergola

tree near S. Nicolo 

A lovely guide welcomed us and provided a wealth of information, easily converted into English for our ease. She led us into the cloisters so that we could see both the otherwise unseen campanile and the original Latin inscription, testifying to its medieval architect and patron, Tancred, the Norman ruler from Sicily (a rarity to have both inscribed). 

I inquired about a fresco I thought was by a medievalist who seemed herald Giotto in style. No, she informed me. The artist had already been impressed by Giotto's work in the north and had tried to apply it here. The result was what I mistook for pre-Giotto (because of its more naive style). So much for artistic appropriation! Still, to my eye, it retained a naive and very authentic quality, a "presence" of its own, even in fragmented form.

Having feasted richly on the Leccese Baroque style, coming to Saint Nicolo cleansed the palate. It is set in an open surround with trees and a cemetery nearby, and with no other buildings to compete. The church is notable in its Norman arches and architecture, as well as its Norman-Byzantine interior, with parts of frescoes remaining from the middle ages (as noted in my "Giottoesque" example). 

Obelisks instead of Skycrapers

 

oblelisk near Porta Napoli +  my favorite one at roundabout

Along with its churches, this is a city that also loves its obelisks, many of which you can see while trying to negotiate the traffic roundabouts. Though I've snapped one of its major ones while walking near the Porta Napoli, my favorite one is more whimsical, with  birds flying out of  and atop it. It's inconvenient to stop and photograph it, and I'd never hazard this while driving around its roundabout. But here's a photo of it, too (cannot find its name or information about it). I like its composite structure and birds flying off from it.

Paintings and Structural Flourishes

Lecce's paintings and architectural flourishes reside not only in its churches. The homes on its streets are filled with interesting surprises at the cornices of buildings, on balconies, and other places you might look. Even the pavements offer changing patterns.

Cultural Crossroads

This small city has a wealth of architectural and archaeological treasures, including its Greek, Norman, Roman, Byzantine and Baroque influences. Just imagine having a house in the old city and needing to make some basement excavations because of sewage problems. This led one family to the chance discovery of multiple strata of archaeological wonders. This home stands in the historic town and has now been turned into the easily accessed Faggiano museum. As you travel downward, its deepest finds take you back to the Messapii culture of the 5th century BC; then up through Roman crypts, medieval ramparts, Jewish insignia and Knights Templar symbols.

Nothing missing so far except a castle. Oh, wait, there IS an unmistakably grand one here. The emperor Charles V thought Lecce was key to his defenses, so he built a mighty castle-fortress here. It guards the city now at less than casual attention, open to any and all who wish to walk through it.  It's fun taking a short-cut through the castle to get from the main square where you've been drinking a cappuccino at Alvino's café and looking over to the ancient Roman amphitheatre (not yet excavated in Charles V's time). The castle can be and is treated as a short-cut  from this main piazza to the streets behind that house theaters, beauty shops, wineries, boutiques and other shops catering to a lively modern city. How many cities offer such impressive short-cuts for daily use?

Historic Walled City of Lecce

 

I especially like walking into around the old walled city from its different portals. The central one is Porta Napoli, to and from which you see university students streaming. We live nearest the Porta Rudiae, right inside which is the art academy, the Accademia Belle Arti, with its stately old entranceway (photo at right).

Porta Napoli  photo Janet Strayer

  

Accademia Belle Arti

Accademia Belle Arti photo credit

Given the contrast it offered, I couldn't resist a picture of this old bicycle parked outside the ornate entrance to the Art Academy in Lecce. This bicycle frame seemed to me like a Dada-esque sculpture left always outside the ancient entrance to the Academy -- symbolic of all that is old and young in this vibrant city. 

Bicycles seem to be an icon this city -- easy to ride on the level (even if cobblestoned) paths, and many are ridden in traffic as well. On the first day of exploring old Lecce by foot, I even  spotted a wooden bicycle outside a shop.

 

wooden bicycle in Lecce 

Entering the Accademia for a quick peek, I loved the young faces seen in this ancient place, toiling or bluffing away at their creative studies. 

I snapped some photos as I peered inside the Accademia halls showing well-used printing presses, a class at work, and samples of contemporary sculpture and painting found inside its walls (I wish I could credit the artists but could not find this information and was asked not to interrupt the staff). As well as the Accademia, Lecce also hosts a more generic university. An assortment of international faces could be seen  among  students and residents.

photos inside Accademia Belle Arti by Janet Strayer

class inside Accademia Belle Arti (Janet Strayer photo)

artwork inside Accademia Belle Arti Lecce
 (my photos)

art store in Lecce, photo Janet Strayer

Art Supply Shop

A meandering distance away, from the Accademia I found a wonderful old and crammed art supplies store: Belle Arti Caiulo. I love such tucked-in shops with their wooden shelves and counters, somewhat dark in places, with the aroma of years. Lovely Fabriano papers of all types are in stock and really everything one could need, plus a knowledgeable and helpful staff, understandably proud of their shop.

Outside the Walls of the Old City

The pleasure of Lecce lies not only in the historic old city but spills out into its surrounding streets. On the streets outside the historic center, the traffic is brisk. I much prefer walking to driving, when possible. Especially because some of the houses lining "ordinary" streets  make you stop and marvel at them. 

On one of the main avenues leading to our own side-street is lined with privately-owned mansions in styes ranging from Renaissance balance to high Baroque with a Moorish twist. We fantasize about which of these remarkable houses we would live in. Of course, we'd have to restore most of these structures properly (as seems to be happening to some, properly or not). And then we'd need to decorate their interiors appropriately ...  in our dreams! But what fantastic fun to imagine.
 

Moorish-inspired mansion on Gallipoli, Lecce (Janet Strayer photo)

We're quite happy where we are, though. It's wonderful to sit in outdoor cafés (even in winter jackets, if needed). The wintertime sunshine is ample (compared to Vancouver!), and we can enjoy the local treats as we people-watch. The treats include puccia, a local bread that is somewhat like a fuller and richer pita, its dough sometimes flavoured with spices and olives. There's also  rustico, a delicious puff pastry filled with various savouries and cheese. And then there's pasticciotto, an egg-custard pastry with a rich and buttery baked crust. 

So I'll leave you with this taste of Lecce as we rest up for more of Puglia.

More Creative Life News

You can read and see more about Italy plus other travels and creative adventures by this itinerant artist at Creative Life News here.

Regards, Janet @ https://www.janetstrayer.com

Living in Lecce (Puglia) Part 1

In the Heel of the Boot of Italy

photo credits

Arrival in Lecce, a city of modest size at the center of Italy's Salento Peninsula, occurred at night after a long and uninteresting drive southeast from the Rome airport. We came to this special city , touted by guidebooks as one of the most beautiful in Italy.   Located on the stiletto heel of Italy's boot, it's a fine place from which to explore Puglia one the economically poorer regions of Italy. But not poorer in historical or, as I've come to see, in scenic and  cultural interests.

It is very different here from mid and northern Italy, which we've lived in previously, and will again. Here we are at the heel's tip of Italy, set narrowly between  the Ionian and the Adriatic Seas. This is a land marked by its flatness in all directions. It might be compared  to the prairies back home, but it is so different in its vegetation, colours, and scenic outlook that you know you are living elsewhere.

And living elsewhere is exactly the point of these travels: changing perspectives, experiencing life a bit differently, eyes open to the familiar because it has become unfamiliar. Even the sky here is different, spreading itself closer to the ground and sea. This region is a haven for sea-lovers. It's too cold now to swim at its beaches, and the winds can be strong ones, as the rainstorms have been this winter season.

 The land outside the cities can be fairly bleak, though the nearness of both its seas makes for some lush watering holes and interesting old ports. As you travel, the land is filled with acres of olive groves, many close enough to the highways to see the characteristic silvery-green of the leaves and the gnarled, thick trunks of the ancient trees, pruned since before Roman times. In fact, the culturally influential origins of this region are Greek, with pre-historic settlers coming across the Ionian Sea, and the early artifacts found across this area typical of ancient Greece. I'm looking forward to visiting some museum sites to see and learn more.

An Apartment Just Outside the Old Walled City  

We're renting  a large and comfortable apartment, conveniently located a walk away from the historical walled city of Lecce, with its famously Baroque architecture and beautifully gold-yellow stone that is characteristic of this location. Winter it is ...and it does feels like it, but still there are cacti and some flowers in bloom on the terrace. Ah, the eternal hope this gives! 

Our apartment has a genteel, retro feel to it, a feeling of having been well lived-in .... as witnessed by this old radio console and accoutrements atop it.

original artwork by T.F., photo by J.Strayer

There is also some charming art on its walls, some of it done by the original owner, a physician who also painted.
 
Along with the paintings is this interesting ceramic piece from Calabria. Altogether a very pleasant place to reside, with pleasant memories still alive.

photo by Janet Strayer

From the terrace of our apartment, you can see the campanile of the Duomo in the center of the old walled city. It's just a brief walk from here.
 

photo by Janet Strayer

Campanile, photo credits --a blog I recommend

Looking Not Painting

I've tried to do a bit of sketching and painting here myself. I put plastic on a table and cardboard on the floor, to keep all clean and tidy. But I feel constrained in the space and limited to small studies and experiments. Maybe that's all I'll do while here. But it's all worth just being here and absorbing what I can. It's always been the case that travels and living in different parts of the world have influenced what and how I paint, though it's not always obvious (to me or to others) at the time. We'll see, I guess.

Piazza del Duomo in Lecce

The main piazza of historic Lecce is a surprise to come upon as you walk through the old walled part of the city's diverging streets and  pathways. The 12th century Duomo was restored in mid 18th century by the architect G. Zimbalo, regarded as the master of what has become known as the Leccese Baroque style so typical of this area.The Duomo has an impressive facade facing the piazza and a very tall campanile beside it. It's the campanile I notice most, its structure so compact yet directed so high you can barely see the bell as you look up from the groundstones. But it is  the combined impact of all that constitutes this piazza that impresses most -- especially as you surprisingly come upon it, tucked away, as it were, amidst the angling streets.

The Piazza del Duomo strangely has always been sunlit, even on cloudy days. It's a calm and pleasing rectangular space with interestingly  proportioned buildings and decorated stonework. The yellowish Leccese stonework and decorative architectural touches are typical of much the old city, giving it all a harmonious feeling.  

Lecce is not particularly known for its painters: none in Italy's south rival those nurtured from the pre-Renaissance, with its prosperous patrons living further north. But a tradition of rather fanciful Baroque architecture did develop, and the area is rich in historic Roman, medieval and Renaissance structures and monuments.

Ancient Roman Amphitheatre

Notably, at the beginning of the 20th century, a Roman amphitheatre of the Augustan age was unearthed beneath Lecce's streets. It remains the main feature of Piazza Sant'Oronzo, a large central piazza in the heart of the old city, surrounded by outdoor cafés and shops, in some of which Lecce's skilled artisans still practice the ancient craft of papier-maché, notable in this locale.

Roman amphitheater in Lecce (Janet Strayer photo)

For me, the main artistic interests in Lecce are architectural ones, in contrast to the splendid paintings and frescoes seen further north in Italy. But there ismuch to delight in, especially while walking upon ancient pavements, some filled with amazing mosaics, or looking up at finely decorated wooden ceilings and Norman arches, or at cathedral columns festooned with an incredible number of angel-cupids and other fabulously plentiful creations. Even in the less palatial houses in Lecce's historic center, you can often look up to balconies supported by caryatids and to cornices filled with faces created centuries ago. 

As for the people-watching, there aren't many tourists this time of year, and we try to blend in as much as possible.. as you can see in this photo:

photo by Janet Strayer

Street Music

Now is definitely not tourist season here, and foreigners are easy to spot. But the folk here are very friendly (except when driving!). There is an off-season sense of reality in contrast to the showiness that seems to accompany any city at tourism's heights. But there's also still a good sense of show here. Take, for example, this distinguished and appropriately well  attired busker with his dulcimer. He played beautifully in Lecce's old streets, and was most gracious to his admirers.

 

Costumed busker with dulcimer in Lecce (Janet Strayer photos

 

There's still very much to explore and learn in Lecce. But we also want to see other remarkable places in Puglia. Thankfully,  we have some time to do it.  And hopefully, I'll find the  time to keep you posted. 

Happy trails to you as well!

More Creative Life News

You can read and see more about Italy plus other travels and creative adventures by this itinerant artist at Creative Life News here.

URBINO: A Perfect Renaissance City Invents "Being Cool"

      After days of rain in Le Marche, I was getting soggy.  No walking outdoors without a drench. 

      So we decided to head out for a 2.5 hr. drive from our resting place to Urbino. It’s this long a drive        only because no route is direct: first you go south towards the Adriatic shore, then up north again.

     The Duke's Nose

       I  wanted to visit Urbino mostly because it’s home to one of the most famous noses in all of art               history: the nose belonging to the Duke of Urbino, Federico III of Montefeltro.

     The Duke of Montefeltro, painted by the master, Piero della Francesco, is always recognizable.               Who could forget that face? 

     Federico III da Montefeltro, of the famous nose, was a highly successful condottiere (mercenary 

     soldier captain). Condottieri were the leaders of professional military companies contracted by 

     the Italian city-states and the Papacy from the late Middle Ages and throughout the Renaissance.           The Pope himself made Federico Duke of Urbino, the area then being part of the Papal States.

     Urbane Urbino: The Ducal Palace  

Ducal Palace Courtyard, Urbino

    This impressive palace was "the" place to be invited during the Renaissance. Federico had a                    fabulous court and invited many illustrious people to it.The Ducal palace and the legacy of                     Federico’s famous court were further developed by his son Guidobaldo, who married Elisabetta             Gonzaga, daughter of the ruler of  Mantua, another small but famous Italian court known for its             excellence in both music and the visual arts. Under them, the court at Urbino further increased its         cultural clout and patronage. It's because of folks like them, and their rich patronage,  that we 

     have masterpiece portraits of secular figures recurring throughout the Renaissance.

A visit to Ducal Palace is a pleasure. It’s arcaded internal courtyard is a center of calm. A masterpiece of proportion and light, it was the first of its kind in Italy, then copied in countless other Renaissance palaces Inside, the stately harmony of well-constructed space continues. But the palace is more barren than I expected (hey, no one lives there anymore). It still houses a fine assortment of paintings, now mounted on free-standing easels near the walls rather than where they would have been seen. It's now clearly a museum (Galleria Nazionale delle Marche). 

The Grand Stairway of the Palace  (described by Vasari as the most beautiful of its time) has very wide and easily rising steps, with inset stone banisters for support. The proportions of each of the open palace rooms are impressive but not intimidating. The inside of the palace is pretty bare, as I’ve said, and the walls whitewashed as a museum for some of the finest art pieces collected by the Duke.

Some original decorations of the Palace remain as they were, including its magnificent fireplaces and stucco-decorated ceilings. Duke Federico's studiolo is a magnificent little room decorated with portraits of philosophers and with with trompe l'oeil woodwork intarsia. Many examples of amazing intarsia are found in doors of the palace. Much of the decorative relief around fireplaces and ceilings depicts exploding grenades, one of the first Duke’s favourite military attack techniques.

The Renaissance Paintings

I was a bit  peeved that some works I most wanted to see were temporarily removed, including some by Piero della Francesca. But I did get to see  his work, La Citta Ideal, a somewhat surrealistic work showing buildings in perspective with open doors but no people. And there was Rafael’s haunting portrait of that melancholy lovely woman called La Muta. And some surprises: I found a small religious work I liked and had never seen: very touchingly done by Giovanni Santi, Rafael’s lesser known artistic father. 

Urbino was  home to Rafael, who grew up amidst the Duke’s wonderful court. His lesser-known father was an admired poet and court painter of religious themes during Federico’s reign. But it was  Rafael who would hit the one-name-only status of instantly recognizable celebrity. Even though he was orphaned at age 11, growing up in this urbane environment gave Raphael the excellent manners and social skills stressed by Vasari as inherent in the Renaissance artist.

    The Invention of "Cool"

       This was the place to be in the high renaissance. Most of those invited to the Ducal Palace had       

       already made it in terms of the reigning standard of celebrity. You had to keep up and hold your 

       own in a company of scholars, artists, poets, nobles and courtier-politicos of the time --  all of               whom (in contrast to our own populist celebrity mania) were expected to have educated minds 

       and  not merely strident opinions.

    This was also a moment in history when being an Artist was elevated to an exalted status in the             social  hierarchy., so long as he (most likely) adhered to the model of humanistic refinement. It was     a time of great strides in Western  scholarship: in mathematics and science as well as investigations        of  ancient writings. There were great bursts in contemporary literary, visual, and musical arts.      

     As well, there was a style of conducting oneself, the art of social conduct and conversation.                      Innovation was encouraged, but no grunge need apply. The model of "casual elegance" or "cooly         knowledgeable" reigned.  The Italian word for it was "sprezzatura". 

    Urbino’s courtly life was to become set for centuries as the model of Italian humanist virtues. This         was largely due to a tell-all book by one of the guests at the Duke's Palace: Baldassare Castiglione's      The Book of the Courtier (1528).  

     Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier became required reading for centuries for all who aspired           to a  life of power. Many of those same people would also have exchanged succulent bits of gossip        as they shared wines and foods worth imagining. How better to promote court intrigues for                  those versed in the writings of Castiglione’s more notorious contemporary, Machiavelli?

   Sprezzatura

    If it's too evident, it's not sprezzatura.  It’s a style that results from a well-educated background 

    and a well-practiced sociability. It refers to something like an artful spontaneity or nonchalance            in appearance and knowledge: an apparently effortless mastery and naturalness at the same time.            The  trick is that, IF it's visible, it turns into its dreadful opposite: affectation.  

    The term was coined by Castiglione, who advises: avoid affectation in every way possible . . .   

    and … practice in all things a certain Sprezzatura [nonchalance], so as to conceal all art and               make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it."

     This concept, has been around the block. Cicero recommended a studied nonchalance as one style 

    of oration and rhetorical persuasion.  It also appears, I think, in these quotes across nations 

    It takes a great deal of experience to become natural.

    --Willa Cather

    A good style should show no sign of effort. What is written should seem a happy accident.


     -- W. Somerset Maugham  

                                                 

    For me, some the best written examples of it occur in the essays and lectures of that engaging                American, Mark Twain. Or in the style of an Arthur Ashe playing tennis in contrast to, say, a Jimmy     Connors. 

       Food for Thought: A Renaissance Menu 

    This is a meal to last the entire night and perhaps into the dawn. An evening not only rich                         conversation, but one enriched also by music and poetry. And the food! Remember, tomatoes, corn,       and potatoes were New World staples that hadn’t yet made it big in Europe. But garden produce like     cabbage, fava beans, peas, chick peas, squash, cauliflower, cabbage elderberry, fennel, eggplants             would have been likely ingredients.

    This is a privileged banquet, let’s remember, not common fare. So the spectacle of presentation is as     important as the substance offered. Dishes had to please the eye as well as the palate. Not only soup     to nuts, but several different seasonal varieties of dish comprised each course. Exotic innovations as     well as regionally fresh ingredients made this a renaissance feast. Spices, herbs, and olive oil would     be used to flavor and cream, cheese and other sauces would be used to the chef’s skill to enhance, not     to cover, the main food used. A telling point in how expensive the meal was in how fresh the                 ingredients had to be (only the rich could afford to use the freshest meat and sauces made of cheese 

    or egg that might soon go bad).

    Trays of candied fruit and aperitif wines might be brought in as the guests waited to be seated. The         rich soups, both sweet and savoury, were served. Sugar was used as a seasoning for main dishes as         well as desserts.Clear broths might be served as well, to cleanse one’s taste or prepare for the next         dish. Pastas would have been served, of course in all their many varieties -- and you can’t know how      many until you travel around Italy! But not in tomato sauces until this New World import became         more evident in European markets. An assortment of roasted pheasants or other game birds might be     lavishly presented with relishes of cherries, plums raisins, truffles, or capers, citron, olives, anchovy     and other wonderful concoctions, as well as roast meats, stews, sausages and mincemeats, followed         by elaborate salads that could also contain cooked vegetables and poultry, liver, or giblets ,eggs             prepared in different ways, an assortment of fish (salted, dried, and fresh) dishes, some with broth or     aspic. And let’s not forget the side dishes, often made with pastry or as tartes and flavored, for                 example, with quince, elder flowers, rice, roses, honey, or chestnuts. Then the cheeses. Leave a bit o        of room for the sweet pastries and other sweets, made into fritters, almond paste cookies, and                 sugared apples, lemons pears, custards, cheescake, flavored ices,. And don’t forget the many                 different wines served along with each course. Alas, coffee would not have been served until                 centuries when Venetians introduced the imported raw beans to Italy in the 1600s.

    For those serious enough to follow through on this, you can consult the recipes, ingredients, and             instructions offered by a cookbook published in Italy during the late 15th and early 16th centuries:         The Art of Cooking: The First Modern Cookery Book, Martino of Como, edited and with an                 introduction by Luigi Ballerni, translated and annotated by Jeremy Parzen [University of California     Press:Berkeley CA]. Or click here for a site that adapts a somewhat less sumptuous menu to modern     diet and budget. Marino's innovations rest upon mixing new and old. and even way back then he             advises that using local goods (freshness) is often synonymous with quality.

     Present-Day Urbino

    Walking the streets of historic Urbino in the present-day, surrounded by university students dressed         in the universal denim chi, you still can’t help thinking to the Renaissance. It’s all around you in             the harmonious architecture, the spatial plan with everything fitting into place. I wonder how this         affects the students.  They seem totally cool about it all, sprezzaturra running through                             their veins.
        
       Despite seein the Renaissance everywhere you look , this is a modern and lively place, filled with         more people looking under than over the age of 30. The primary  economy of Urbino now is based         on its university, established in the1500s. The students far outnumber the non-student residents here,      and they drive the city economy more than the tourist-trade does. 

    The city has many good eateries, lots of bookshops, some interesting 'ethnic' clothing, and of             

    course lots of excellent art and architecture, including many churches, given this was Vatican             

    territory for more  than 200 years. 

    Notices posted around town mention different local events, and it seems a lively place, as it must         have been in the Renaissance. I don’t know if the current group encounters of people here are as             thrilling as the salons held in the old days. Some must be, given the enduring impact this urbane             place has had through history have for. 

    

More Creative Life News

You can read and see more about Italy plus other travels and creative adventures by this itinerant artist at Creative Life News here.

Regards, Janet @ https://www.janetstrayer.com