Palermo 1625: causes and origins of a ' unstoppable decline
continues the story of this fabulous trip to Sicily 30 years ago, now becomes a virtual pushed back in time because, in the seventeenth century. From the previous story journey to Sicily, tenth part, had included the main reasons, labor and taxes, and also Add to this, the healthier climate for which many people here had persuaded from taking from that trip to North Palermo, in most cases a one way trip. The culmination was Palermo, but from there many Lombard then expanded throughout the Sicily. And finally to leave their land of origin, direction Palermo, were not only Lombard Alto Lario (see post Emigrant Lake Como to Palermo ), but but also inhabitants of other cities, including the premiere, the number of immigrants present in Palermo, that exceeded 50% of total immigrants, the Genoese . And all went in search of better conditions of life, the ease with which it was once a decent job. Palermo, as written in the previous post on the series visit to Sicily, in those centuries XV, XVI and XVII was all smitten in changing the face of the ancient city. Quell'alacrità and fervor for the embellishment of the city, had the strordinario if we think that in Palermo, like Milan, and then to the north and south of Italy, English kings reigned for several centuries, and then the mind oversaw the fact that there was a place in better conditions of life over another, all dependent on the same thinking mind: it was a unique mind to govern the whole. And then, in the absence of other evidence, one might suppose Palermo, which at that time enjoyed the privileges or frachigie than in other parts of the Kingdom there existed.
continues the story of this fabulous trip to Sicily 30 years ago, now becomes a virtual pushed back in time because, in the seventeenth century. From the previous story journey to Sicily, tenth part, had included the main reasons, labor and taxes, and also Add to this, the healthier climate for which many people here had persuaded from taking from that trip to North Palermo, in most cases a one way trip. The culmination was Palermo, but from there many Lombard then expanded throughout the Sicily. And finally to leave their land of origin, direction Palermo, were not only Lombard Alto Lario (see post Emigrant Lake Como to Palermo ), but but also inhabitants of other cities, including the premiere, the number of immigrants present in Palermo, that exceeded 50% of total immigrants, the Genoese . And all went in search of better conditions of life, the ease with which it was once a decent job. Palermo, as written in the previous post on the series visit to Sicily, in those centuries XV, XVI and XVII was all smitten in changing the face of the ancient city. Quell'alacrità and fervor for the embellishment of the city, had the strordinario if we think that in Palermo, like Milan, and then to the north and south of Italy, English kings reigned for several centuries, and then the mind oversaw the fact that there was a place in better conditions of life over another, all dependent on the same thinking mind: it was a unique mind to govern the whole. And then, in the absence of other evidence, one might suppose Palermo, which at that time enjoyed the privileges or frachigie than in other parts of the Kingdom there existed.
The mysterious historical figure of our future story had returned to Palermo after 35 years from a previous stay, and found a city even more beautiful and renovated before. But looming over the city have a fatal destiny, which led to that inevitable decline of which perhaps still suffers.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° °°°°°°°°°°°°°° In 1615 in Palermo
"about one hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants there were at least a thousand residents of foreign merchants, including more than half, exactly 592 were Genoese . The Archbishop, Giannettino Doria, Genoa was to confirm the relationship exclusive relationship between the two cities.
Palermo was is elegant baroque, opulent and refined.
neofeudale The triumph of the oligarchy had solemnized the beginning of the new century with the opening of Via Maqueda, orthogonal to Cassaro: planning the operation was dictated by social motivations similar to those which had led to the opening of the road New in Genoa, but in this case, the fabric of the city was broken with the addition of a second directional axis. At the point of intersection with the Cassaro had formed the new ceremonial plaza 's Octagon, then called the Quattro Canti (photo).
The new four-part urban, literal implementation of municipal coat of arms bearing a cross that unites and separates the emblems of the four quarters, finds its symbolic representation in the vast apparatus of the square, adorned with statues of patron saints of the districts ( Oliva, Agatha Cristina, Ninfa ), the Kings of Spain ( Charles V, Philip II, and from 1621 Philip IV), and four seasons.
The symbolism of the system to cross was also a recognition of the role of the Church: the impulse to Palermo architectural triumphalism Counter had a leading role, while completing a task of social involvement. The great religious orders fervently promoted the decisive changes in the environmental framework, monopolizing the culture (particularly thanks to the Jesuits, who controlled higher education), investment property, the organization of guilds.
The nobility, which was enhanced by participating in the exploitation of feudal lands, converged on the capital for celebrare i fastosi riti del potere, attestandosi nelle grandi vie residenziali.
I coniugi Lomellini non potevano permettersi di vivere nei quartieri più eleganti, ma erano comunque in cerca di una sistemazione stabile; dopo i decenni trascorsi a Genova da una casa d'affitto all'altra, approfittarono dei prezzi più accessibili di Palermo per comprarsi un'abitazione dove trascorrere gli ultimi anni in tranquillità. Acquistarono dalla vedova Francesca Spinelli una "domus magna" - la registrazione è del 27 novembre 1615 - sita nell'antico quartiere arabo di Seralcadii , in " strada Pilerij ", a ridosso delle mura cittadine. Da allora, negli atti notarili (*) e il marito saranno defined "cives Panormo" citizens of Palermo.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° °°°°°°°°°°°°°° In 1615 in Palermo
"about one hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants there were at least a thousand residents of foreign merchants, including more than half, exactly 592 were Genoese . The Archbishop, Giannettino Doria, Genoa was to confirm the relationship exclusive relationship between the two cities.
Palermo was is elegant baroque, opulent and refined.
neofeudale The triumph of the oligarchy had solemnized the beginning of the new century with the opening of Via Maqueda, orthogonal to Cassaro: planning the operation was dictated by social motivations similar to those which had led to the opening of the road New in Genoa, but in this case, the fabric of the city was broken with the addition of a second directional axis. At the point of intersection with the Cassaro had formed the new ceremonial plaza 's Octagon, then called the Quattro Canti (photo).
The new four-part urban, literal implementation of municipal coat of arms bearing a cross that unites and separates the emblems of the four quarters, finds its symbolic representation in the vast apparatus of the square, adorned with statues of patron saints of the districts ( Oliva, Agatha Cristina, Ninfa ), the Kings of Spain ( Charles V, Philip II, and from 1621 Philip IV), and four seasons.
The symbolism of the system to cross was also a recognition of the role of the Church: the impulse to Palermo architectural triumphalism Counter had a leading role, while completing a task of social involvement. The great religious orders fervently promoted the decisive changes in the environmental framework, monopolizing the culture (particularly thanks to the Jesuits, who controlled higher education), investment property, the organization of guilds.
The nobility, which was enhanced by participating in the exploitation of feudal lands, converged on the capital for celebrare i fastosi riti del potere, attestandosi nelle grandi vie residenziali.
I coniugi Lomellini non potevano permettersi di vivere nei quartieri più eleganti, ma erano comunque in cerca di una sistemazione stabile; dopo i decenni trascorsi a Genova da una casa d'affitto all'altra, approfittarono dei prezzi più accessibili di Palermo per comprarsi un'abitazione dove trascorrere gli ultimi anni in tranquillità. Acquistarono dalla vedova Francesca Spinelli una "domus magna" - la registrazione è del 27 novembre 1615 - sita nell'antico quartiere arabo di Seralcadii , in " strada Pilerij ", a ridosso delle mura cittadine. Da allora, negli atti notarili (*) e il marito saranno defined "cives Panormo" citizens of Palermo.
(...) The arrival in Palermo in 1623, as the new viceroy, of Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia , probably rekindled a climate of concern around the artist, as the Savoy - grandson and namesake of the famous "Iron Head" hero of the Battle of San Quintino - he was a younger son of the Infanta Caterina Micaela. If (*), to visit the illustrious pupil, had actually traveled to Turin , had met the Viceroy as a child. Emanuele Filiberto
was to convene in Palermo in the spring of 1624 the Flemish painter Anton Van Dyck, commission a portrait and a huge shovel Madonna del Rosario. Van Dyck was an artist now well established: a twenty-two, in 1621 had left Antwerp to make a study trip to Italy, stopping at Genoa the footsteps of his master Rubens, and becoming a portrait painter played. Surely he had heard of '(*) - also admired by Rubens - and he could see some of his works in collections Genoese patrons. After continued his tour with stops in Rome and Venice to get rich in contact with the masterpieces of Renaissance art, had responded to Viceroy of arriving at Palermo to get to work on the portrait (photo from Wikipedia)
His first request was to be able to meet (**). The coming of Van Dyck coincided with the outbreak of a devastating plague : the first cases were recorded in May but were not taken serious action until June. The authorities, oblivious to the disastrous epidemic of 1575, prevarication, as the disease, taken lightly, was spreading dramatically.
The same visit Van Dyck at (*) on 12 July when there were already thirteen hundred in Palermo died of the plague, shows that were not suspended the rhythms of daily life in the city. Indeed, the painter, in the accurate description of the meeting in which a page of his notebook Italian, not even mention the tragedy that was decimating the population.
...
... The relationship between Van Dyck and l '(*) did not end in a single game, because the artist took the young man under his wing: "It was from that very kindly helped him in his needs and raised in some troubles that came upon him and gave him very little reason to stay in that island. "
In reality it was the resurgence of the plague to remove from the Flemish Sicily, died in August the Viceroy, his patron. (*) However, despite their weakened physical age, dodged the disease, which had remained free even in 1575. In quell'epidemia died about thirty thousand people, a quarter of the population to Palermo was the beginning of an inexorable decline. "
Note: the asterisk (*) has chosen to call the name of a character in "mysterious", whose name will be revealed in another post, in italics, transcription of the pages 225 and following of the book Daniela Pizzagalli, Mrs. painting - Rizzoli Editore.
