Urban iconology: Gozzoli

This title is very strange, some expert of art can say that it is an assay of a drunk; identification of an thing, that is hide allusion to something, a valor, a family, a own or other; but to a town and his representation could let to identify something? Certainly, in fact in Sermoneta(Fig.1), Italy, 43 miles from Rome, was painted with this town on legs; different interpretations some historical of art has given; a Virgin of misericord, a Virgin that has protected Sermoneta from an earthquake in 1455, hence Onorato 2th Caetani(1414-1491), has commissioned this altarpiece(Fig.2), to Benozzo Gozzoli(1420-1497) to keep memory of this miracle, and other opinions that has very scant possibility. This iconography is thought to costumer, this is Onorato Caetani lord of Sermoneta and thereupon every painted sign has his motive: the town is represented because lacks every coats of arms, the Caetani family has had the wave(Fig.3) is present in the castle Caetani of Sermoneta, in the cathedral of Anagni(Italy)(Fig.4), on the frescos with Last dinner of Litardo Piccioli((Fig.5), unique pupil of Livio Agresti, that in 1582 has painted in refectory of convent of San Francesco in Sermoneta, to commission of cardinal Enrico Caetani; the coat arms of family was also on a façade of a church of Sermoneta(Fig.6), and the coats of arms is also on the chapel Caetani in church of Saint Joseph, why on this painted no? Same motive to in Camerae pinctae, in Caetani castle of Sermoneta(Figs.7-8); because these Camerae were the private rooms lord of Sermoneta, and the hostess to habit were received in private rooms during the 15^th century, hence it was normal that coats of arms aren’t, because the owner of rooms was these present and he was a Caetani member; why on this altarpiece hasn’t the coats of arms? Because the Sermoneta town represented on legs of Virgin(Fig.9), and the tiara(Fig.10) are attributes of reign on Sermoneta, thereby the reign of Caetani, and the tiara is sign of same domination but with allow of pope, that represented God in earth, thereupon the reign of Caetani on Sermoneta was guaranteed from God, it is explication is necessary to solve this iconography that can seems strange, but is easy explain after that we have considered these attributes, it is very easy. To style the Gozzoli seems turned back, because he used a style very long from chapel of Medici Ricciardi family(Fig.11), why it? Because the Sermoneta and other towns next of far were very strangers to new evolutions of painters, and the people would didn’t understand the esthetic valor of this altarpiece; hence Gozzoli have to approach to  people and the cultural traditionalism of this town, and following the requests of costumer has painted this underdeveloped altarpiece; in fact the face of Virgin(Fig.12), has took some record from Simone Martini(1284-1344)(Figs.13).

Alessandro Lusana

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