LICEUS

Monday, December 16, 2019

Hamingway

A disappeared church

This essay[1] is about a church that is datable around 9^th century after Christ, when Italy and Rome, above all, was conquered by Byzantium, now Istanbul; then much religious member of religious order this is Basilian order, born in Constantinople during 9^th century and widespread on Byzantium and Italy, above all by presence and election of Byzantine pope, above all pope Zacharias(741-752), that was very next to Byzantium and his imperator, Constantine fifth. Zacharias introduced much Byzantine culture and also in Rome and also to south Latium, particular Sermoneta, where was this disappeared church. This church, whose we don’t known name, was built by member of Basilian order in cloister of actual abbey of Valvisciolo(Figs.1-4), why can we say it? First form of cloister, this is square and above all to stones that now are present in pillar of cloister, to arches that are typically Byzantine and other. First plan is square, and this particular form is very common to Byzantine church, this is Saint Sophia and other now in Istanbul or ancient Constantinople(Figs.5-7), we must consider that Byzantine imperium was also in Italy until Ravenna, in central Italy, therefore also architecture of Ravenna(Fig.8) is to some exemple very meaningful as Saint New Apollinaire and in Class(Fig.12) typical architecture of Byzantium, that during 9^th century was used by Basilian order to this church in Valvisciolo. Arches(Fig.9) that now are present in cloister are typical architecture from Byzantium(Figs.10-13); the stones that now are to pillars of Basilian church are very next to much building of Byzantium and Byzantine(Figs.14-17bis,ter, quattuor); capitals are more over very next much exemple of Byzantium and Ravenna (Figs.18-20), these capitals have took during 13^th century in Sermoneta and used both to building of cathedral of Saint Mary(Figs.25-27), and to some column today in a Medieval tower(Fig.23). Form of abacuses(Figs.25-27) in the mentioned cathedral are very specular to exemple in Ravenna and Byzantine architecture(Figs.18-20). A column, fortunately again complete, shows a form very strange to medieval architecture in Italy(Fig.28), in fact octagonal plane of this column is strange in Latium and in Rome, but it is very next to Byzantium style; it is sufficient see pillars of monument to Theodoric in Ravenna(Fig.30), that is very similar to our column and pillar; because a pillar is again complete(Fig.29) in cloister of Valvisciolo, and I think that this pillar supported a sculpture of saint that given name to church, but important is that this pillar has an octagonal form, like column in Medieval tower in Sermoneta. Basilian order was an ascetical religious order, and therefore the presence of church was present always; in fact along perimeter of cloister(Figs.31-33), at 1957, was worked restores and worker found trace of wells of cells, this is cells of monks that were in direct contact with church by arches. Where is now this Basilian church? We can think that now it has destroyed, but we must correct this affirmation because this church has dismantled and built again to other church for a destruction for a battle between Annibaldi family and other next town, Sezze Romano, at 1235; for this war, a document tells that the church of Saint Mary was building. To this rebuilding was necessary both worker and also material; cost of this was very important, then costumers took profit and dismantled Basilian church. Other architectonical document about Byzantine presence in Sermoneta is a church; this is first building of church of Saint Michael Archangel, or better, a town of this church that is, fortunately, remained complete during centuries(Fig.34); this town of church today is ignored, but it is original Basilian church in Sermoneta centre. The entry to church during 9^th century was trough a staircase (Figs.35-36); this opinion is supported by position of painting with Christ, that is very similar to position to other painting and mosaic on the apses on the church in south Italy, inspired to Byzantine architecture, as church of Monreale, Palermo; then the access to church was staircase that now is access and exit to a room. Other characteristic of Basilian order was isolation, this is convent of Basilian usually were isolated, then this church was in region of Sermoneta particular isolated, we must consider that during 9^th century Sermoneta was depopulated then perfect to exercise of asceticism we can see isolated town by a painting of 1610(Fig.39), this town is called Pagan valley, somebody has though that this name was to a pagan temple, but we must red Du Cange, Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, a vocabulary that describes every Latin word and his mean during century after fall of Roman empire, and to word pagus he tells that this word means also field and territory, therefore a field that monks cultivated, where now are home and other then was alone field.

Alessandro Lusana

[1] I want thank mister Vincenzo Corbi for some photos of this assay that he has cured.

Alessandro Lusana

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17quattuor

Friday, December 13, 2019

De Tocqueville: a traveller

Alexis de Tocqueville(1805-1859), France writer and judge in France during 19th century come in USA between 1831 and 1832, and he kept rapports with much members of society and politics, members of congress and judge and attorney and very intellectual men; he written these images of America, red USA, in a diary or log, and he describes very punctually, the states that then were USA, we must consider that much states are absent among description because not were present. Anyway Tocqueville describes system and he writes dialogues and episodes about some state with characteristics and he defined with his description democracy in states: therefore social class, schools, slavery and other, with distinctions and very examples of democracy, that in Europe were unknown, this is not were thought as dynamic spirit of States, that in Europe was very ignored, one example is meaningful, at 25^th November 1831, Tocqueville tells that: “ I met a rich property of Illinois and I asked if any European were present as immigrants and he answered “ No much are from Ohio”, and Tocqueville continues: “40 years ago Ohio was desert and now his capital town has 30 years life and new generation not finds possibility to be rich, therefore it goes to new towns”, this words are very important because it is American spirit, that I repeat, was unknown to Europe; but we must consider that some European costume was present, because European immigrant brought also their spirit and costumes therefore, if one member of high social class compromises a girl of same class because he is received to family he loses his honour and reputation; in Europe for this behaviour was established duel but honour was lost; some dialogue was a France lord that seems preferred monarchy to democracy because he says that: “A govern monarchic is preferable to a democracy govern, because govern of one alone has strong and coherence; but we must consider that this lord evidently not has been in Europe during 19^th century, and he continued: “A republic is managed very less good than a monarchy, typical opinion of a man that hasn’t looked monarchy or a govern different by democracy. To political model de Tocqueville says that American people is developer than other European people; to vote to black he tells that in Philadelphia it was possible and legal, as he tells, at 22th October 1831, in Philadelphia: “Much persons in American spoken that black are inferior. Much other spoken contrary, and they proof this thesis for cleverness of black young at school and other black that become rich after got over much difficult, and one black that is become very rich with a property very great with much ship and black captain, and de Tocqueville speaks around America and his first citizen, European citizen, therefore he says: “American have brought in this country from European that was more democrat. They have arrived and they have left prejudices to nationalism. They have become a new nation, they have took new costumes; therefore de Tocqueville describes that he seen with much appreciations about American society, and he takes these information directly from American or European that live in America, that could make a confront between realities much different, therefore for de Tocqueville we have a portrait of America and a portrait of evolution political European in America, with characters very different, but similar to some behaviour; therefore today the Europe would be as the America if it isn’t Europe.

Alessandro Lusana

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Hemingway writer of portrait of oneself

Two romance of Hemingway The sun also rises and Farewell to arms are two national portrait to two country, Spain and Italy, but twice characterized by journalistic style; The sun also rises is a portrait of Spain and he described this country with all characteristic, but with a journalistic style, in fact we red this romance and is very difficult find a history, but we red alone episode very insignificant but it is credible Hemingway wanted show Spain alone, and habit, he took Spain culture and costume and he has showed alone this country, in fact he describe some town of Spanish cities that he visited, because we must consider that Hemingway was a journalist, therefore he seen these cities, and he shows his love to bullfight and he describes cities and towns and all is kept among description of actions and words with very little follow to history; Hemingway tells around daily actions and he portraits Spain and Spanish. To Farewell to arms is a tale during first word war, it follows same style and Hemingway tells around some character with wealth of particulars, also useless but necessary to history and tale, that is very adherent to reality because to Italy Hemingway has had a medal of valour at 1918 in Italy, therefore he, that begun his writer work at journal Kansas City Star, he translated this style in his literacies romance, and this romance is particular autobiographical because he tells his stay in hospital, time he passed in hospital because he was hurt, therefore he described this time and his hurt to knee, and he describes Italian towns where is happened first word war, and some episode that he was protagonist; then it is a personal diary of first word war, has had Hemingway capacity of storyteller; or better his story.

Alessandro Lusana

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Angelo Guerra: a painter for cloisters

I understand that this title is very strange to assay of art history, but i have considered this necessary to portrait a painter that has worked very much to cloisters, at last three, he is a painter between 16^th and 17^th century, and he worked above all on the south Latium, in the towns called Sermoneta, Cori and Carpineto Romano, whose at last two to Franciscan order, as in Sermoneta and Carpineto, but in Cori church and cloister was Agostinian, in the church of Sant’Oliva. To cloister of Carpineto argument of this assay an attribution to lunettes now lacks but, we can to style to identify Angelo Guerra; the style is very poor, but we must search author and not certainly ask compliment and praises; anyway Guerra painted this cloister after 1602, after lunettes of Sermoneta, but before that he painted other in same town; this decoration is now uncertain but in return we can recognize Guerra; it is sufficient consider cloths of some figures(Figg.1-3), that have some characteristic very personal used just to other paintings, as on lunettes of Franciscan convent in Sermoneta; the architecture follows style of Guerra, above all to tried uncertainness of style just present in Sermoneta(Figs.4-7), then same definition: the line describes much summary the architecture structure but, in return, the roofs(Figs.4-5) as rose window(Figs.5-6) and the gable(Fig.5) that, to painting of Carpineto Guerra has remembered from Sermoneta(Fig.4). The cloths stand out to plastic matter, although this isn’t to luxury tailor, but we must consider that Guerra to some lunettes, cured cloths with attention with brushstroke less speed than other and much definite(Fig.8): the fields are thickened but less summary; but some moment of refinement shows that Guerra has adopted this style; light and shade are better coordinated and painted, although style is very poor .

Alessandro Lusana