Green Heart of Italy

I began and ended my two-month Italian adventure in the center of the country – Tuscany and Umbria. Particularly in Umbria, I found concern for preserving and restoring the natural environment which is beautiful and productive.  Regional parks have been set aside and local groups have formed to mitigate destruction and contamination.

Orvieto - Tuscan Hill Town  

Set high on a hill, the Medieval town of Orvieto was easy to defend and was used by church authorities when they were in danger. The town's cathedral is a result of papal appreciation for the town's protection.

Steep cliffs surround Orvieto. 

The fertile Tuscan countryside below Orvieto.

 Built with alternating rows of white and dark gray stone, the cathedral stands out
from the dark tufa of which most other buildings are constructed.

The façade and interior Signorelle frescoes were the Roman Catholic
Church’s propaganda during the counter-reformation.



The bronze doors, added in the 20th century,
were designed and constructed by Italian sculptor Emilio Greco. 

As elsewhere in Italy, Orvieto is riddled with caves. It was interesting to discover that people in this region did not live in the caves but used them for work and production. The making of olive oil and of wine was especially suited to the cool temperature of the caves, as were the cultivation of pigeons and the creation of ceramics. The porousness of the tufa facilitated the sinking of water wells.

Examples of cave openings in the tufa.

The same olive press design seen in an ancient underground
cave is still utilized today throughout the region. 

The level of sophistication in creation of ceramics is evident in
 the use of molds for making votive products.

For a source of meat, pigeons were raised by carving places for then to roost.

The Etruscans

One of my reasons for visiting Tuscany was that 40% of my DNA matches that of people from this region. I chose Orvieto because of the presence of two archeological museums with Etruscan artifacts. The Etruscan civilization lasted for a thousand years, beginning in the 9^th century BC. The territory it covered and places affiliated with it was fluid and extended beyond present day Tuscany, Umbria, and parts of Lazio. The origin of the Etruscans continues to be a matter of debate. What is confirmed is that they were not Greek.

Rains of an Etruscan temple called Belvedere where many museum
artifacts were found.



In these examples of Etruscan ceramics, note the double spiral form
 used for the handles of the large pot. This form is found on many Etruscan ruins. 

This is authentic Etruscan design. After numerous visits to archeological museums
 I could distinguish between Etruscan and Greek ceramics.

Small votive images used at Belvedere. Note the sensuous
quality typical of Etruscan art.

International Exhibition

During 2014, fifty-seven artists from 22 countries had residencies at Arte Studio Ginestrelle in the regional park of Mount Subasio near the hill town of Assisi. During the first week of December, a curated exhibition of works created during the residencies was held at Le Logge gallery in Assisi with sponsorship and support from the town council.

As people gathered for the opening reception, I was pleased to see
 young families bringing their children.  

The support of Assisi council was manifested by the two men at far left and right.
Center are Marina Merli, Art Director for Arte Studio Ginestrelle, and a regional
 art critic who set the historical context for contemporary art. 

Women viewing my large banner, Perilous Majesty, reflecting
the benevolent and destructive aspects of volcanic mountains. 

Outside cover for my accordion book that shares the big steps in my
 creation of Perilous Majesty and Mount Subasio's impact on me. 

Assisi – Birthplace of St. Francis

When Francis rejected the wealth of his family and went off to live in a grotto and talk with the animals, the townspeople of his day thought he was a lunatic. Yet after his death they saw and cast him in a new light, along with Clare who founded the religious order of the Poor Clares. Today the town of Assisi is a place of pilgrimage, as Christians from around the world come to walk in the footsteps of Saint Francis.

It is not just Frances and Clare that lend an aura of sacredness to the town. The light pink stone used for construction creates a warm environment. The town's hilltop location guarantees light and open vistas. Because Francis used to greet people with, “The peace of our lord be with you.” Assisi has been called city of peace.

The local limestone used for construction in Assisi lends a
warm and gentle aura to the town.



I am particularly fond of the half arches on the left side of the
 church of Saint Clare where you can see the use of white, pink, and red limestone. 

While gallery sitting, I loved to look through Le Logge's metal gates
 at architectural details such as these three windows.

Among all the Madonna's in Assisi, my favorite is this contemporary one
given to the city by a South American country. 

Assisi's celebrated hero.

It is ironic that "the city of peace" is dominated by a monstrous fort
 used to protect nobility and church authorities.

A medieval scene inside the fort.

Yes, the fort had a military purpose.

View through one of the many "peep holes" necessary for surveillance.

At the top of the last tower to be built, there are
360 degree panoramic views.

Now my Italian adventure has ended and I am home in Eugene for the holidays and a wide open future. 

The Heel is Strong

In Puglia, Bari was the best place from which to get to Matera and then Lecce and Otranto further south, in the heel of Italy's boot - a region called Salento. Olive groves I'd seen elsewhere were nothing compared to the size of the orchards and age of the trees in Salento - ancient twisted trunks supporting voluminous foliage. Over the centuries, people have cleared fist-to-butt-sized rocks from the fields and built fences and field shelters with them.  

Matera: 2019 Cultural Capital of Europe

From time immemorial, Italy’s rocky, cave-riddled mountainous terrain has  provided shelter for animals of many kinds, including two-legged humans. People lived in the prehistoric caves of Matera up until the late 1950s. By edict in 1952, the last peasant occupants were forcefully moved from their cave dwellings into “modern” structures and the government took possession of the land. A complete way of life ended.
 

Caves of Matera

Example of cave dwelling in the 1950s when spinning and
weaving were part of a peasant family's daily life. 

Work animals and their fodder shared the space.
Note the fishing net and trap. 

Many early Christian churches were in caves.
Here you can see remnants of frescoes.

One way Europe has turned its vast historical sites into an economic resource is by annually selecting a particular site as “Cultural Capital of Europe.” Recently Matera was selected for 2019. Scaffolding throughout the area represents the beginning stages of a five-year journey to get ready for a burst of tourism in 2019.

Lecce: Vibrant Florence of the South

When I told my Palermo B & B hostess I would be going to Lecce in the southern province of Puglia, she said, “Why? No one goes to Lecce.” I replied, “I was intrigued by pictures shown by my Italian teacher." Her pictures did not lie.

A poster for the show Gilgamesh alerted me to the existence of
the contemporary art museum.

In Lecce I found a vibrant community that maintains a thread of continuity with its past while continuing to move into the future. Perhaps the university, one of the oldest in Italy, plays a key role in keeping young people in Lecce and giving them encouragement to take risks and make changes. I saw more young people here than anywhere else that I traveled. Places I visited in Lecce, such as the contemporary art museum called MUST, had spaces for children to experience themselves as art makers and welcomed parents with baby carriages. If one were looking for a “total” Italian experience in one site, that might well be Lecce.

• Ruins of both Roman amphitheater and theatre
• Contemporary art museum – MUST
• Active contemporary practitioners of all the arts
• Amazing archeological museum
• Beautiful baroque sculptures on churches and public buildings
• Part of Slow Food movement of southern Italy
• Small, safe and sunny

The gates into Lecce's ancient Roman amphitheater are still standing
 in the midst of Lecce's Old Town center.

Seating and gladiator entrance.

Down the street is the ancient Roman theater.

The theater was one fourth the size of the amphitheater.
It seems that violence has always trumped story.  

Floor mosaic of the theater.

Costumes were the clothing of the day, however colors were used to
distinguish different characters.

MUST, a contemporary art museum, is adjacent to the Roman theater.

MUST retains original architecture of the former convent.

I was attracted to the work of Carlucci, based on body fragments
and using gold for the interiors and an olive tree texture for the exteriors.

This is the most well-organized and accessible archeological
museum of the many I visited. Awesome.

Wall plaques in English guide you through the human journey
as it was experienced in Salento.

The Mediterranean Sea was the meeting place of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

On one of my "lost" adventures I found the Tonda art workshop.

What appears to be two sticks on the left is a desk lamp.

These lamps allow you to take rose windows home with you. 

Otranto: The Fate of Mediterranean Ports

In ancient times Otranto was a busy port of southern Italy, the closest to Albania. It was often the target of other people wanting either to possess it or to scuttle its segment of Mediterranean trade. Sacked by the Turks in 1480, 800 Catholics were slaughtered for refusing to convert to Islam. In WW II, its port played a role in the allied occupation of Italy as they pushed back and defeated the Nazis. In my very brief visit, I saw a lot of recent construction (by whom I could not tell) and EU money helping to restore heritage sites.
 

Otranto beach has a high ranking as environmentally well cared for. 

Castle - the well to do have always vacationed by the beach.

After repeated attacks, fortifications were built.

The lacework of the church's rose window was damaged in an earthquake.
There is an amazing floor mosaic that I missed due to timing of my visit.