Unknown Masters in Galatina

Finding the Unexpected

A TV show  brought us to Galatina in Puglia, Italy. We were home in Canada watching a show hosted by Anthony Bourdain on his travels in southern Italy. It featured a small bit of an old documentary that filmed incidents of  tarantism, a peculiar and local form of psychosocial malady affecting some women of the countryside. You can click here to see the original Italian documentary, La Taranta, 

La Taranta shows women seized by an apparently uncontrollable urge to move and keep moving. Witnessed by others in their community, they typically may end up at the local church, where a religious rit may relieve them of their spasms of movement. The dance, the Tarantella, reportedly derives from this malady. Quite different from the rawness of the movements shown in the documentary, the Tarantella dance is a festive celebration. You can read more the fascinating history of this dance in my related column on Taranto.

Galatina  

spider/Taranta motif at restaurant in Galatina

My focus now on Galatina will show you why this city needs special mention. The cult of the Tarante, with  its spider-dance, is only one reason -- though it is a prevalent one, as you can see by its motif adorning a local restaurant.

Galatina has been a focal spot for the preservation and reinvention of the Taranta cult. In late August, tourists may join The Night of the Tarantula (La Nottte della Taranta), an all-night music festival marking the importance of the Tarantella to this area. 

More traditionally in Galatina and surrounding villages, St Paul, patron saint of the tarantate, is celebrated to this day in an all-night event on June 28. It starts with a procession from Piazza San Pietro to the chapel of St Paul, followed by performances by drummers and other musicians lasting until dawn the following day, June 29 – the feast day of saints Peter and Paul. At early dawn the musicians, dancers, tarante and visitors gather at St Paul’s chapel to pay their respects before the crowds arrive for the official early morning Mass.

This Site Came as a Total Surprise: Church of Santa Catherina 

There is another, and for me, even more impressive reason to visit Galatina. And it came as a surprise. 

After a brief but rather dull drive from Lecce, Galatina surprises you as a  pretty city. We looked into its large and expectably-decorated Cathedral of Peter and Paul  (featured in the La Taranta documentary mentioned).  It was impressive outside, but rather grim inside. The real treasure was to come.

We took a moment to peek into the city's perhaps less-known church of Sta. Caterina. I was absolutely blown away by the stunning art I saw, and that I'd never previously known even existed. It was way beyond any expectations I had ...  and that's a real joy when travelling and just exploring for its own sake.

 Unfortunately, the outside of the church was wrapped up for renovation, and you could see nothing of its features. Nevertheless, we walked through the wooden scaffold to find that the interior was open. WOW!

part of ceiling (Janet Strayer photo)

frescoes in Sta. Catarina/Galentina (photos by Janet Strayer)

nave (natural light, Janet Strayer photo)

ornately painted pillars, Sta. Caterina (Janet Strayer photo)
 

The church of Santa Caterina in Galatina is a marvel to behold. Almost every inch of this large church is covered in beautifully intact frescoes. You can insert some coins for  lights come on, and then see almost everything covered in painted narratives. Ceilings, walls, even columns are painted. The style is consistent: a mix of Byzantine and early Renaissance influences that works to make a unique artistic and religious statement.

Gorgeous frescoes occur throughout Italy, with the Sistine Chapel being perhaps the most famous. But on a more intimate yet complete scale, the frescoes here hit home. Not since Fra Angelico's work in Florence or Giotto's in Padua, have I been so impressed by a single structure so completely filled with such interesting and original religious art.

Dating mostly from the early1 5th C, the frescoes are in remarkable shape. Not all were completed, and you can sometimes  see cartoons of the intended works on the prepared walls (an extra attraction for many artists). A few frescoes are in need of repair, but most are perfect. In general, they are just stunning in overall impact, plus they beckon you to come closer and see more.

wall and part ceiling of series of "Mary frescoes" (Janet Strayer photo)

We don't know the artists' names for sure, but they were stylistic masters (click for some suggestions and a good link for photos and text). They must have seen and been influenced in compositional motifs and stylistic concerns by early Renaissance work further north in Italy (Umbria, Tuscany). Yet, their work favours a different palette and the dramatic contrast of night-time settings.Talented in both stylistic and technical matters, the feast of frescoes beckons you to keep looking at them: the faces, the settings depicted, the flow of narrative, the use of space.

The Romanesque-Gothic church of Santa Caterina dates back to the late 1300's, and the frescoes are dated about 1420. Endowed by the wealth of the Count of Solento and his widow, the nave alone consists of a self-contained fresco composition that includes 140 picture compartments. The nave paintings extend across four bays. The largest group  presents the Apocalypse according to St John. It extends across three walls in the first bay of the nave and includes some fifty separate scenes. The Apocalypse is aways a show-stopper, in my opinion. But I'm also drawn to depictions Genesis and Adam and Eve. You can pick your own favourites, as I'm sure the parishioners did when "reading" this extensive pictorial narrative.

 

I took a mass of photos under the poor lighting conditions. I've given you just a taste from a few samples I liked for different reasons: their blend of Byzantine and early Renaissance styles, references to their time (knights' armour),  their refinement, expressive quality, linear emphasis, spatial sense, or composition.

Other fresco series are dedicated to Mary, and yet others to Sta. Caterina. You can find something remarkable in any of them, in the different depictions of John the Baptist, of the slaying of the Dragon, or even of the small touches in the little figures (perhaps patrons) only marginal to the main scene.

incidental figure (Janet Strayer photo)

One can tire of visiting so many notable churches and cathedrals in Italy. But truly, this is one not to miss. 

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 click  https://www.janetstrayer.com

Regards, Janet

Otranto in Puglia and its Marvelous Mosaics

Otranto in Puglia:A Real Find!

I love this place!

Otranto is a another exceptional place well worth a visit on this narrow heel of southern  Italy. We went there primarily to see its noted medieval mosaics, one of the largest pieces of inventive design to survive intact to our day. These mosaics also contribute one of the most important pieces of artwork  

from the middle ages.

It's a wonder to be able to walk among these images today. They remain vibrant and so interestingly unique in their depiction of familiar themes.

 

A man on branch of Tree of Life, Otranto (Janet Strayer photo)

Built by the Normans in the 12th Century

 

exterior entrance, Otranto Cathedral (Janet Strayer photo)

The mosaics are the highlight of Otranto's ancient cathedral, built of monolithic granite and marble by the Normans at the beginning of the 11th century and incorporating Romanesque, Byzantine and early Christian styles. Despite the flourishes added later, the simplicity of its architecture and its stone rose-window may seem like a relief after all the very ornate and elaborate Baroque one sees in later and larger cathedrals. But just wait until you step inside! It is fantastic.

An Artist Who Did Not Want Anonymity

photo credit

One artist, a monk named Pantaleone (with his co-workers), was responsible for all this mosaic magic. He must have been sure enough of its legacy to leave his name in stone, along with all the other Latin inscriptions. Ah, the ego of an artiste!

nave mosaics, Otranto, photo credits

These wonderful 12th century mosaics are very different from the justly famous gorgeous floors and walls seen at Piazza Armerina in Sicily. First of all, here you are actually walking on the mosaics (for better or worse, in terms of their conservation). The mosaic floor is part of a still  active church, with pews set atop them. Wonderful for the parishioners, I'd think, but a bit disappointing for viewers from afar who have read about this marvellous floor and wish to see it uninterrupted and undamaged. For photos taken with the floor cleared of pews, click on this recommended link. Otherwise, here are my own photos, taken under the present conditions.

Elephants holding up the Tree of Life (sideways view, Janet Strayer photo)

In the center , as you enter the cathedral, you see the Tree of Life balanced on the backs of two elephants. The tree branches out into the aisles and apses and beyond. Other original depictions range from genesis to redemption, all created  with what seems to me a joyously inventive spirit and accomplished within a fine overall sense of decorative design.

Walking On an Illuminated Manuscript

The floor is so compelling, you might forget to look up at the elaborate carved and decorated ceiling, a contrast to the more simple architectural pillars and layout.

interior, and ceiling Otranto cathedral, Janet Strayer photos

But look to the floor! It's like walking through a huge, illuminated manuscript of the time. You even see some aspects of life (clothing, agriculture) in the Middle ages. Everything links to     everything else in this marvellous depiction of the ever-branching Tree of Life!

Not just Old Testament (Cain and Abel, Jonah and whale, Sampson and lion , etc.) and New Testament theological narratives are depicted, but also the zodiac, pagan references (satyrs, etc.), fanciful beasts and mythological figures and symbols, as well medieval romances.

depictions of the Zodiac, and other fantastic creatures (above) photos by Janet Strayer

The inclusiveness expressed within Otranto Cathedral  is said to mirror the interests of a once international city (of Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Jews and Muslims) in which "the culture of inclusion" thrived. Otranto was a hub of maritime trade connecting cultures of East and West. One hopes this focus on inclusiveness instead of insularity still lives on. 

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.

Musings about Travel

Today's Painting: "Gotta Go" by Janet Strayer, see janetstrayerart.com 

mutiple canvas mixed-media artwork by Janet Stayer, www.wix.com/janetstrayer/paintings

"I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad", said G.B. Shaw, and I agree with him. Not that home is bad. Not at all. I live in a good spot on the globe. And not that I seek discomfort. No way. This blog is about living creatively WELL, after all. My 'travel-in-the-rough' days are over because I wouldn't be able to enjoy them now as I once did. Besides, "rough" is relative. Although I've travelled on very limited budgets and hitchhiked and backpacked when I felt comfortable-enough doing so, I was never the rugged ragged traveller. And I certainly am not now. Age is not the determinant. 

One of my traveling mentors, a woman some years older than I, has taken a big trip once a year for many years. To this day she loves very challenging travel to exotic and hard-to-reach places. She's hiked Kilimanjaro twice in recent years, re-visited Bhutan, the hills of Vietnam, gone trekking in Africa, and around the world she continues. Last year she sent a photo of  herself in shorts and hiking boots, sitting cross-legged on the ground and being approached by mountain gorillas at the eco-reserve founded by Diane Fossey. She's the most adventurous traveller I know personally and she's managed most of it during her yearly vacations from demanding work. 

In contrast, though I've done some of that kind of traveling, what I like best is to go somewhere that seems interesting to me and stay there a bit, to live there if I can. Sometimes, to make several visits back and see what more I can see. Though less physically active, what I share with my wonderful friend is a sense of adventure, an openness to new experience, a willingness to accommodate to new environments, to assimilate, to learn and enjoy myself in new surrounds.

Today's Thought

I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.  

Lillian Smith, U.S. novelist (Strange Fruit) and social critic

More and more frequently the edges
of me dissolve and I become 
a wish to assimilate the world    
Margaret Atwood poem (More and More)

Today's Painting #2

Child Out of Time: Bubble

In my view, travel as part of a life-adventure isn't and can't be fully comfortable. Travel has to disequilibrate, to shift things around a little both inside and out. Optimal disequilibration is a motivating drive to human development. It's that curious and exciting space between the familiar and the almost but not- quite grasped.  

Like my friend, traveling for me isn't a rest so much as a change. To hazard an improvement on that old saying: sometimes a change is a lot better than a rest. Maybe Seneca had it right again: travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.