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One
of the treasures of the diffused theatre
Il
Trittico di San Paterniano – Domo
Domo, is not just a
village, it is a castle. It is completely enclosed by the city walls. The
entrance was anciently allowed only through two city gates. Narrow,
characteristic roads trim the whole village. A nineteenth century church,
Madonna del Rosario, opens on the regular city square.
Chiesa di San
Paterniano, located in the South side of the city walls, is remarkable for
its artistic and historic importance.
The Cathedral of
Domo has always been the main church of the castle. It was built in 1200.
It underwent some alterations almost immediately. The roof was in fact
vaulted and raised of some metres in 1450. A crypt (2metres high) was
obtained and the roof was decorated with beautiful frescoes. They
embellished the chancel and the ancient walls.
The raised church
was provided of a new entrance from the square. The portal, influenced by
the Renaissance Art, dates back to1473. The cusp above is instead in
late-gothic style. The chancel, looking East was moved at the bottom of
the Church (West side) after a terrible earthquake in 1741. It was covered
by a dome shaped roof in typical eighteenth century style. Attics were
taken away and beautiful frescoes were brought back to light in occasion
of the restoring works.
The 1473 portal is
remarkable. Two side columns sustain the beam that is carved with wreaths
containing the Camaldolese coat of arms and the figure of San Paterniano
bishop and Pope Niccolo V with the usual crossed keys.
The inside is in
Renaissance style with an only nave roofed in trusses. It is frescoed with
votive imagines dating back to XV-XVII century. The most ancient frescoes
in the church date back to 1300.
The frescoes that
decorate the chancel are slightly odd as far as the theological meaning
and iconography are concerned. The artist, or artists, have anyway
stressed the Holy Mary symbols and the ones referring to the popular and
rural world.
The Saints portrayed
are numberless: Sant’Antonio and San Rocco, San Paterniano, Madonna Del
Soccorso. The chancel is decorated with a large scene of crucified Christ
surrounded by the Virgin, San Giovanni, Maddalena and Arcangelo San
Michele.
Trittico di San
Paterniano is the most important masterpiece kept in the church. It is
better known as Trittico del Maestro di Domo (after the name of the
supposed author of the triptych). It is composed of three wood panels. The
central board represents Madonna di Loreto con Bambino, on the left panel
San Paterniano Vescovo and on the right one Santa Lucia are portrayed. On the four half-moon shaped wood panels above
there are the portraits of God, Madonna col Bambino, Arcangelo Gabriele
and Vergine Annunziata. The triptych is said to have been made by “Maestro
di Domo” and dates back to 1470-1480.
The triptych is
characterized by a strong influence from Gentile da Fabriano. The
similarity to Gentile da Fabriano’s art can be easily detected in the
face of the Madonna. The figure of San Paterniano reminds the Works by Maestro di Staffolo
The late-gothic
style is betrayed by the long lines (see the fingers of the figures), by
the excessive brocades and in the flourishing vegetation in the
background.
Fotografia:
Alessio Brocanelli
Sponsored by
Comune
di Serra San Quirico
© 2006 Liberation Ventures Ltd.
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