Sicilian Baroque
Sicilian baroqueis a form of baroque architecture which evolved in Sicily following the earthquake of 1693.
Baroque
Baroque architecture is a European style of design originating from 17th century Italy, flamboyant and theatrical. Heavily ornamented by both sculpture, and the efect of light and shade on the building created by mass and shadow.
The style was popular all over mainland Europe, and was empoyed by many of the great archtects of the day including Bernini, Christopher Wren, and Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The late 17th and early 18th century was a period of domestic change acrooss Europe, especially for sovereighns, aristocrats and church leaders, new acheived political solidarity and stability meant they no longer had to live in impregnible castles and fortresses, thus they began to build large and elegant palaces from which to rule, more often than not baroque was the chosen style.
The style often tended to evolve differently in each country, most notavbly in the Germanic states, where the princly rulers began to vie with each other on the extravagance of their baroque palaces, in some countries the architecture became so peciliar to a country, patron or architect that it came to be known by that countries name, hence among many others there exists Bavarian Baroque, Naryshkin baroque and Sicilian baroque. In Bavaria the baroque employed by the Roman Catholic church became almost Russian in design with multiple towers crowned by onion domes.
In England the style attained a brief popularity through the dramatist and untrained architectJohn Vanbrugh. However, it was never truly to English taste, while Seatom Delaval Hall, and Blenheim Palace are described as baroque, only Castle Howard is designed in the European baroque style. English baroque was far more restrained, the European exesses of ornament being contrary to the English aristocracy's dislike of ostentation.
Sicily
The volcanic island of Sicily off the Italian peninsular has been ruled by many different countries and thus absorbed many cultures, and consequently has had a wide diversity of architecture. However the catalyst for the evolution of Sicilian baroque was the great earthquake of 1693. This catastrophe decimated may of the most notable buildings, particularly in eastern parts of the island. The epicentre of the disaster was Val di Noto, where the city of Noto was completely destroyed. Other towns which suffered were Ragusa, Modica, Scicli andIspica. Following the quake a fast program of rebuilding was put into action, obviously those who could afford the luxury of architects and luxury cjose the most fashionable style of the day, baroque. Thus begun the first of what has been described {footnote to Blunt} as the three phases of Sicilian baroque had begun.
I
It has been said {footnote to country life article} that the choice of Baroque as a rebuilding style, was because the baroque was a happy and cheerful reaction to the horrors of the earthquake, while the style is indeed almost a celebration of "joie de vivre" in stone, this is unlikely to be the reason it was chosen, as with all architectural styles the choice would have directly linked to current fashion. Versailles had been completed in 1688 in the baroque style, hailed almost as the eighth wonder of the world, it was immediatly emmulated across Europe by any aristocrat or sovereighn in Europe aspiring to wealth, taste, or power. The aristocrats of Sicily (there were more of them per square centimeter than in any other state) immediatly embraced the style for the rebuilding of their new palazzos. Thus the early baroque buildings in Sicily are very much in the Versailles baroque mode. However these first buildings often hurridly designed by provincial architects lack the flair and ingenuity, and light capriciousness of the baroque developing elsewhere in Europe.
Natural materials found on the island, redily and thus cheaply available provided a rich and suitable building source, especially for the delicate and sophisticated intarsia in marble. Local craftsmen were specialist in stuccowork, much stucco found on the island, especially in the Province of Palermo is by one family the Serpotta.
II
This second phase, is recognisable by the quality of the design, architects were employed form the great cultivated cities of Italy. The urgency to rebuild had passed, and time and care could be taken in the choice of design and ornamentation. People had been rehoused their earthly need catered for, attention now turned to the spiritual - the rebuilding of the cathedrals and churches.
III
In common with baroque elsewhere it is reconised by its great sweeping curves, however, in Sicily the style has a greater propensity towards bizarre and often grotesque details in the sculpting of the stone, flora and fauni mixed with putti and other dramatic masks and representation. One is often confused between wether the architect and mason were seeking to shoch or amuse the passer by. This is the final completed evolution of Sicilian baroque it is now in the hands of the local Sicilian architects themselves, freed of the constraints imposed the grand architects of Napoli and Rome, the style is so established that local architects can take liberties and inject their own ideas and even jokes,
Barocco siciliano Antony Blunt nel suo libro "Barocco Siciliano" (1968) divide l'architettura barocca siciliana in tre grandi fasi:
Prima fase : caratterizzata dalla presenza di edifici in stile paesano, contrassegnato da grande libertà e fantasia, particolarmente nel modo di trattare il dettaglio architettonico e le decorazioni plastiche, ma francamente provinciale e spesso ingenuo. Seconda fase: caratterizzata da uno stile più elaborato, introdotto da architetti siciliani formatisi sul continente particolarmente a Roma e a Napoli. Terza fase: caratterizzata da una evoluzione dello stile romano verso una visione che più si adatta alle tradizioni e alla cultura locali. A proposito della terza fase Blunt scrive:
"Nella terza fase gli architetti locali, superando lo stadio della discendenza ideale da Roma, enucleano uno stile nuovo e in alto grado personale. Nella facciata del Duomo di Siracusa, opera di Andrea Palma, nelle chiese di Rosario Gagliardi a Noto, Ragusa e Modica, nelle ville di Tommaso Napoli a Bagheria, come in molti edifici dei centri minori, gli architetti siciliani, pur mettendo a frutto gli insegnamenti ricevuti da Roma e da Napoli, adattano questi modelli alle esigenze e alle tradizioni locali costruendo un gruppo di monumenti che possono catalogarsi fra le più alte creazioni del tardo Barocco." Nel Settecento il Barocco si diffonde in tutta la Sicilia.
Examples
CHURCH OF SANTA CATERINA baroque church walls and ceiling covered with frescos and carvings of the saints, flora and fauna.
Duomo di San Giorgio, built in 1775, designed by the architect Rosario Gagliardi from Siracusa, the principal façade is three storeys decorated by columns and pilasters. redolent of of some of the chyrches which evolved during the Bayrischen barok period.
Palazzo Nicolaci, Noto
Palazzo della Cancelleria, Ragusa.
Palazzo Biscari, this palazzo has been called the perfect example of Sicilian barok (footnote to Blunt). Constructed in the early 18th century it has been since then continually the residence of the Paternò Castello family, the Princes of Biscari
Appraisal
Conclusion
As with all architectural styles eventually people tired, but in the case of baroque it was not transformed to a simpler style, but evolved into the even more ornate rococo, it was to be over 100 years from the great earthquake that and the plainer, and more restful to the eye, neo-Classical cam into vogue. However in Sicily the baroque has never fallen completely out of favour as elsewhere, the style is almost part of the Sicilian identity, more than any other architectural style elsewhere in the world.