APRIL MEETING
| ROMAN ART IN THE TIME OF CARAVAGGIO |
Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, worked in Rome from his arrival
around 1590 until his sudden departure in 1606 after he killed a rival
in a street brawl. During this short period, he created some of the
most compelling and powerful works of early baroque art. Criticized
by contemporaries for his extreme naturalism, his works have become popular
among 20th century viewers who are engaged by his stark settings, his extraordinary
ability to capture surface textures, and his brilliant lighting effects.
Caravaggio was one of a group of innovative and exciting artists working
in
Rome during the last decade of the 16th century and the first decades of
the 17th century.
Our speaker will be Judith Mann, Ph.D., Honorary Member of the
Italian Club, and a frequent and popular presenter of Italian Club programs.
In this regard, members may recall her March 1999 presentation, Saving
the Treasures of Venice. In our April 2000 meeting, Dr. Mann, Curator
of Early European Art at The St. Louis Art Museum, will discuss the brilliant
work of Caravaggio in the context of the other artists whom he knew and
with whom he worked, including Orazio Gentileschi, Annibale Carracci, and
the Cavaliere d’Arpino. In addition, Dr. Mann will include in her
presentation a discussion of a painting by the Cavaliere d’Arpino, newly
purchased by the St. Louis Art Museum, and soon to be on view in the Museum’s
baroque gallery.
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Next Meeting April 19
Cocktails 6:30 PM - Dinner 7:00 PM
Da Baldo's Restaurant
RSVP 644-1645 (Marie Wehrle)
RECAP OF MARCH MEETING
| GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI |
.  In his
presentation, Vito Tamboli chose to explore the contradictions and
paradoxes in the life of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the most beloved and admired
hero of the Italian Risorgimento. In fact no man would survive this
scrutiny. He was a charismatic man completely devoid of self interest
who was able to gain the Italian popular consensus as no other man before
or after him. He was also an excellent military leader and strategist
who was able to develop maneuvres and plans that maximized his meager resources
and placed the enemy in serious difficulties.
His adventurous life began in Nizza on July 4th, 1807. During
his youth he was a sailor like his father, but soon the young Garibaldi
became interested in the political thought of Giuseppe Mazzini,
one of the three great men of the Italian Risorgimento. He joined
the underground group called Giovine Italia and took part in the
insurrection of Genova in 1834. Condemned to death, he fled to Brazil,
where he became the leader of the rebels, formed an Italian volunteer group
called le camicie rosse, and fought for independence against the
Brazilian government, thus becoming known as l’Eroe dei due mondi.
In South America he met Anna Maria Riberio da Silva, a married woman, the
forever famous Anita Garibaldi. She left her husband
and became Garibaldi’s companion until her death. He returned to
Italy in 1848 to fight against the Austrians, but was forced to exile once
more. After the proclamation of the Roman Republic, he went to Rome,
where he was placed in charge of the Italian Legion against the French
expedition of Oudinot. When Rome fell, he had to escape once more
to San Marino. It was during this flight that his wife Anita became
ill and died. At this point he went into his second exile to
Tangier, New York, and Perù but in 1854 he was back in Italy.
In 1859 Cavour, the third great man of the Risorgimento,
made him general of the army. Garibaldi won the battles of Varese
and San Fermo, but the terms of the armistice, which included the loss
of Nizza to France, made him bitter against the new Italian Government;
however, in 1860 he put aside his resentment and organized the famous Spedizione
dei Mille, in which with approximately 1000 volunteers he captured
Sicily from the Bourbons for the King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele
II. At this point he refused honors and glory and retired
to the island of Caprera. But his adventures were not over.
In 1862 he attempted the liberation of Rome, still under Napoleon III and
was wounded and captured at Aspromonte; in 1866 he accepted to lead a group
of volunteers in a battle to free the Trentino; and in 1867 he tried
again and failed to free Rome. Again he was imprisoned and he finally
retired to Caprera, from where he left only once in 1870 to help France
against the invasion of the Prussians. He died in Caprera June 2,
1882.
Tamboli’s presentation delved into Garibaldi’s private life, and especially
his adventures with women. After Anita, whom he legally married after
her husband died and from whom he had five children, he married the 17
year-old Marchesina Giuseppina Raimondi, but he learned right after the
wedding that she had been unfaithful to him so he left her after the wedding
ceremony. The next wife was Francesca Armosino, one of a long line
of women who were sent to Caprera to tend to Garibaldi and his children.
From Francesca he had three more children. Other women with whom
he had affairs were mentioned.
Another topic was his physical appearance: although he had “the
profile of a Greek statue” he was only five and half feet tall and had
by no means an impressive figure. Tomboli also quoted writers and
biographers who discussed his character and exploits, he questioned the
exact number of i Mille, and said that Garibaldi did not want to
start the expedition but was ordered to undertake it by the king.
He also talked about Garibaldi’s first trip to New York during his second
exile and gave an account of his bizarre connection with the United States
during the Civil War. Vito Tamboli found irony in some of the events of
Garibaldi’s life. To name a few:
1. After having tried for may years to capture Rome, in 1870, when
Rome was finally conquered by the Italian troops, he was in France helping
the French against the Prussians.
2. His wish was to be cremated like the ancient heroes of the
Homeric world without the participation of the authorities, but instead
he was buried with pomp and honors in the presence of ministers and high
rank personalities.
3. He was the great Italian hero of a Catholic country and yet
he was fiercely anti-Catholic
In closing, Vito quoted Victor Hugo: “Garibaldi! Who was he?
He was a man, nothing more. But a man in every meaning of the word.
A man of liberty, a man of humanity. Truly a man.”
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L'angolo del presidente
by Gene Mariani
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| BENVENUTA!
We are pleased to announce that Jean Columbo Moore was elected
as a new member of the Club at the February meeting and wish to extend
to her a warm welcome to the organization. We are looking forward to seeing
her often at our meetings.
THE ITALIAN HERITAGE AWARD
Each June, the Club presents its Italian Heritage Award to an individual
who has distinguished him or herself through unselfish community service.
Members who would like to nominate someone for this award should submit
their nominations to Club Secretary Marie Cuccia-Brand either by
email at mcucciasbj@aol.com or
by phone at 314-993-2252. Please include a brief explanation giving
the reasons why you think the person should receive the award
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT AWARDS
At the April meeting, the Italian Club will present its Frank LoPiccolo
and Mario Pertici memorial awards in an amount totaling $500 to a student
or students of Italian language at Washington University. This amount
is matched by the Southwest Bank with a similar award in memory of Fred
Giacoma, past President of the Bank and a long time Italian Club member.
The only condition placed by the Club is that the awards be used to assist
the award recipient(s) to attend the University’s summer program at Arezzo,
Italy. Award winners are selected by the Faculty of the Program of
Italian Studies . This year the award recipients will be Carolina Gallegos
and Meredith Hall.
WEBSITE CHANGE
Please note the change in the address of our website, which is now
www.italystl.com/italianclub
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
| We are pleased to publish the following announcement received from
one of the Italian readers of our website.
IL CORSO DAI CENTO ORIZZONTI
Offering two weeks of personal enrichment and immersion in the Italian
language and culture, Il Corso dai Cento Orizzonti is designed for
adult professionals with a lifelong interest in Italy. Scheduled
for September 2-16, 2000 and October 2-16, 2000, the program enters its
sixth year with a location unequalled in the Veneto region in Italy - the
city of Asolo. One of the “most beautiful and enchanting small-sized
historic centers in Italy,” Asolo has drawn poets, writers and artists
dating back hundreds of years and it continues to provoke interest among
Italians and foreigners alike for its musical performances, artisan activity
and historical merit. Program participants will reside a five minutes
walk from Asolo’s central piazza in the Casa Santa Dorotea, a tranquil
retreat with exquisite views of the Dolomite foothills and the Asolo skyline.
Developed to stretch the intellect while respecting the art of living,
the program includes morning Italian classes at three levels followed by
afternoon sessions in five areas: Cucina e vini veneti – the food
and wine of the Veneto; Palladio e le ville venete – Palladio and
the Venetian villa; I maestri artigiani - The Artisans of the Veneto;
Storia e archeologia - History and Archeology of the Veneto;
and I coloristi – The Venetian Painters. The sessions include
presentations by local experts as well as site visits to Venice, Vicenza,
Padova and other cities as well as to private villas, cellars, museums
and workshops of local artisans that could not otherwise be visited outside
of our program. In past years, for example, we were invited to visit
a private island in the lagoon of Marano, halfway between Venezia and Trieste.
The participants first viewed the exquisite mosaics and Roman ruins of
Aquilea. A small boat then took them to the Valli da Pesca
where they fished their own sea bass and bream. Arriving on the island,
the fish were presented to cooks who prepared them in a rustic fisherman's
"casone". This ancient seaside house, constructed with a straw roof,
cannot be found anywhere except on such private islands of the lagoon...
the dining experience of a lifetime.
All of this is complimented by theater or musical performances, visits
to local trattorie, full room and board, and an optional morning exercise
program for an all-inclusive
competitive price.The program is not for young students or for those
who wish to see all the main cities of Italy in a whirlwind week tour.
This program is designed for adults who want an experience of “total immersion”…a
genial, intimate yet provocative experience that will appeal to the palate
as well as the intellect. By the very nature of the program, registration
is very limited.
To request a brochure and to receive more information, contact:
Il Corso dai Cento Orizzonti
Via Fantina 6
36060 Paderno del Grappa
Italy
E-mail: Horizons@venturaglobal.com
sfior@venturaglobal.com
Fax: 011 39 0423-939231
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I capolavori della poesia italiana
19. Francesco Redi (Arezzo 1626 - Pisa 1698) scienziato e scrittore,
prestò servizio di medico di corte presso la famiglia Medici.
Pubblico lettore di lingua nello Studio fiorentino, fu membro dell'Accademia
della Crusca e lavorò alla correzione del Vocabolario,
prestigiosa iniziativa promossa dall’Accademia. Le sue ricerche sperimentali
lo condussero a escludere (affrontando per primo il problema con metodo
scientifico) la generazione spontanea degli insetti e a porre le basi della
parassitologia. Per il Bacco in Toscana, scritto in onore
dei vini toscani, il Redi scelse la forma metrica del ditirambo, componimento
di origine greca non costretto da rigide strutture ritmiche che veniva
composto in onore di Dionisio, dio del vino e dell’ebbrezza.
Bacco in Toscana
di Francesco Redi
Io nol niego, è preziosa,
odorosa
l’Ambra liquida cretense1;
ma tropp’alta ed orgogliosa,
la mia sete mai non spense;
ed è vinta in leggiadria
dall’etrusca Malvagìa2.
Ma se fia mai che da cidonio3 scoglio
tolti i superbi e nobili rampolli4,
ringentiliscan su i toscani colli,
depor vedransi il naturale orgoglio,
e qui, dove il ber s’apprezza,
pregio avran di gentilezza.
Chi la squallida cervogia5
alle labbra sue congiugne,
presto muore, o rado giugne
all’età vecchia e barbogia6.
Beva il sidro d’Inghilterra
chi vuol gir presto sotterra;
chi vuol gir presto alla morte,
le bevande usi del Norte.
(vv. 216-236)
1 prodotta a Creta. 2
malvasia. 3 (Costa della città cretese di Cidonia).
4 (I vitigni). 5 birra. 6 età
avanzata.
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LA STORIA D’ITALIA
| (Continua dal numero precedente)
9. Le lotte sociali. Il periodo che segue le guerre
puniche è caratterizzato da vari fermenti sociali. Innanzitutto
l’impoverimento dei contadini e la conseguente disponibilità di
terreni a basso prezzo avevano creato un’economia basata sul latifondo,
dovuta anche al maggior numero di schiavi disponibili, frutto delle conquiste
militari. Questo aveva portato ad una delle questioni più
pressanti degli anni che seguirono le guerre puniche, la riforma agraria,
richiesta dalla plebe impoverita. Un altro motivo di discordia era
il diritto di cittadinanza, quest’ultimo richiesto dalle popolazioni italiche
alleate dei Romani che, non avendo il diritto alla cittadinanza,
erano escluse dalla spartizione del bottino di guerra.
Nel frattempo era sorta a Roma una nuova classe sociale (equites
o cavalieri), costituita da mercanti e appaltatori, che per ottenere un
potere politico si alleò con la plebe che si batteva per la riforma
agraria. Il loro portavoce era Tiberio Sempronio Gracco, un
aristocratico eletto tribuno della plebe, che nel 133 A.C. propose una
legge per confiscare tutti i possedimenti abusivi di agro pubblico e limitare
l'estensione di quelli legittimi a 500 iugeri, aumentabili fino a 1000
per chi avesse uno o più figli. I terreni confiscati avrebbero dovuto
essere distribuiti ai cittadini poveri, che non avrebbero potuto venderli
ad altri. Ma il suo progetto di legge incontrò l’opposizione
dell’aristocrazia senatoria e nel 123 Tiberio fu assassinato nel corso
di un tumulto insieme ai suoi 330 partigiani.
Nello stesso anno fu eletto tribuno suo fratello Caio Gracco,
che presentò un complesso di leggi che riprendevano la politica
del fratello collegandola alla politica favorevole agli Italici.
Di mente aperta e grande oratore, da vero rivoluzionario Caio Gracco seppe
elevarsi dal problema dell'agro pubblico a una totale riforma dello Stato
romano in senso democratico, con la legge frumentaria; la riconferma della
legge agraria; la creazione di colonie; l'assegnazione ai cavalieri di
un numero preponderante nelle giurie che dovevano giudicare le cause di
corruzione (de repetundis) contro i governatori delle province;
e la concessione della cittadinanza romana ai Latini e del diritto latino
agli altri Italici. La reazione suscitata dalle sue proposte portò
alla costituzione di bande armate e alla promulgazione da parte del Senato
dello stato d'assedio. In uno scontro i Gracchi furono battuti e
Caio si fece uccidere da uno schiavo. L'oligarchia senatoria, combattendo
le leggi agrarie, aveva così preparato la trasformazione della Repubblica
in Impero e la propria rovina.
(continua al prossimo numero)
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