Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Sabbioneta: a Renaissance Milton Keynes.



Sabbioneta in the Po valley near Mantua (Mantova)  is a sleepy little town  that I never tire of visiting.  It was conceived as a perfect city by a Renaissance warlord called  Vespasiano Gonzaga in the sixteenth century.



I returned on New Year’s eve with my wife who had never been to Sabbioneta. She is usually diffident about the places I suggest visiting, but after a good lunch, where we enjoyed some local specialities washed down with some  local Lambrusco, she conceded that Sabbioneta is well worth visiting.


The figure of Vespasiano  is a typical complicated story of intrigue, war and murder together with a love of art typical of the nobility in Renaissance Italy.

Vespasiano Gonzaga
Within the walls of this fortified city one can see several  little gems of Renaissance architecture that have survived a little worse for wear down the centuries. After the death of its founder the city went into a slow decline in importance.


Sabbioneta, MN

Sabbioneta, MN

Sabbioneta, MN

Sabbioneta, MN

Sabbioneta, MN

The Duke administered his little state from “Palazzo Ducale” situated on the main square. The most interesting thing about this building are the intricate wooden ceilings as well as the life-size wooden sculptures of the Duke and his relations. 

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

Palazzo Ducale, Sabbioneta MN

The most spectacular building in Sabbioneta is the “Galleria degli Antichi” a long corridor 96m long. It was built to house the Dukes collection of antiquities. Imposing from the outside, it is spectacular  to stand inside this galley . The original contents of the gallery can be seen in Mantua.
Galleria degli Anichi, Sabbioneta, MN

Galleria degli Anichi, Sabbioneta, MN

Galleria degli Anichi, Sabbioneta, MN
Galleria degli Anichi, Sabbioneta, MN

Galleria degli Anichi, Sabbioneta, MN

Galleria degli Anichi, Sabbioneta, MN

Connected to the gallery stands a seemingly dull modest construction called the “Casino”. It was the private residence of the Duke. The inside is a riot of colour. The walls and ceilings are rich in frescos.

Casino, Sabbioneta, MN

Casino, Sabbioneta, MN

Casino, Sabbioneta, MN

Casino, Sabbioneta, MN

Casino, Sabbioneta, MN

The theatre is was one of the first modern theatres in Italy  to be constructed  without making use of a  previous Roman construction. The form is classical, but the stage uses optical illusion to give a sense of depth to the stage. The theatre has reached us in a rather battered state, having been used as a store, a barracks and as a cinema. The original vaulted blue ceiling that represented the sky has long gone and the stage props are reproductions.

Teatro, Sabbioneta, MN

Teatro, Sabbioneta, MN

Teatro, Sabbioneta, MN

Teatro, Sabbioneta, MN

Teatro, Sabbioneta, MN


On a visit to Sabbioneta a couple of years ago I met “Il Conte” a local character  who deals in antiques. He let me photograph the interior of his emporium


Il Conte, Sabbioneta, MN
Il Conte's emporium, Sabbioneta, MN

Il Conte's emporium, Sabbioneta, MN

Il Conte's emporium, Sabbioneta, MN

Il Conte's emporium, Sabbioneta, MN

Il Conte's emporium, Sabbioneta, MN

Il Conte's emporium, Sabbioneta, MN


Santa Maria Assunta is the most important church in Sabbioneta. It is on the main square near the Palazzo Ducale.  In 1768 the architect Antonio Bibiena constructed a cappella with a roof in two layers which thanks to a couple of hidden windows has a strange play of light and shadow.



Santa Matia Assunta church, Sabbioneta, MN

Santa Matia Assunta church, Sabbioneta, MN

Santa Matia Assunta church, Sabbioneta, MN

 

Until recently it was not possible to photograph the insides of the three principal monuments. Intelligently the Comune ( http://www.iatsabbioneta.org/apl/ )  now allow you to take photographs inside.  So for the first time I was also able to photograph the insides of these fascinating structures.

   






7 comments:

  1. Ciao Nigel, Bella Galleria. Ho apprezzato i lunghi corridoi. Il Conte deve avere accumulato alcuni incredibili pezzi d'antiquariato. Felice Anno Nuovo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nigel, what a wonderful blog, I will follow it now. I love Sabbioneta, as with most places that kept their walls in tack, like Lucca, and to a smaller degree Cortona, the walls now protect the integrity of the architecture. I use to take students there, stopping by between Parma and Mantua for lunch and a walk about. Need to spend some time there.

    As for your suggestion as not looking like a tourist I totally agree. I always packed lightly and bought clothes in Italy, mainly because I liked them and could not get them in the US. I still have a pair of leather Scarpa boots bought 25 years ago and still wear them, supple leather and made in Italy. Sadly much of the textile and leather goods now are designed there and made to the East.

    I will enjoy your blog. I gather you are a British expat ? Do you live in the Po valley area?

    Gaines
    PS, just answered my own questions ! Do want5 to compliment your considerable photographic skills, and love the comparison to Milton Keynes !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ciao Nigel, ci consenti di pubblicare sulla nostra pagina Facebook la tua foto del Teatro Antico di Sabbioneta, menzionando il tuo nome e il link al tuo blog?

    Grazie,
    Terre di Mantova

    ReplyDelete
  4. Buongiorno Terre di Mantova

    Si. Nessuna problema

    NCV

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear mr Nigel, I liked very much your report about Sabbioneta, and I want to ask you for permission to use the photographs of Vespasiano Gonzaga and the Three knights in my History bloG: http://caballerosyarte2.blogspot.com.es/ indicating your name and the link to your blog. Thank you very much

    ReplyDelete