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| Museum courtyard. the graffiti are located on the upper loggia |
During a recent visit to the newly
reopened Civic Museum in Viterbo a
series of graffiti caught my attention: they include designs and phrases scratched into the
plaster by a prisoner, one Nicolo, son
of Francesco Bartoli, from the town of
Barchi, near Fano in the Marche.
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| Etruscan heads welcome visitors to the Museo Civico |
When the outside wall enclosing the cloister’s upper level was removed and the roof level raised sometime
in the past 200 years, these graffiti
were re-discovered but the area was closed off to the public until the most recent update a few months ago.
See the photos of my recent presentation at the Museum.
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| Etruscan sarcophaghi and bucchero ware |
The convent and
adjoining church S. Maria della Verità have undergone many changes over the
centuries: they were damaged during the
bombings of World War II, and only
a short time ago, the Museum was closed
down for several years when a section of
the ancient walls collapsed on to the street.
Finding graffiti in old Italian prisons is common, for the
incarcerated had nothing to do to pass the time and used the walls of their cells as a canvas or diary. Visitors to the Doge’s Palace in Venice and Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome can visit graffiti filled cells and even my small city
of Vetralla counts scores of graffiti in abandoned churches, historic sites and
the building used as a prison, many of which have been studied by local paleographer, Carlo Tedeschi.
Viterbo’s Museo Civico
graffiti are particularly interesting for the astronomical scenes
depicting the planets: the moon is in the center and Mars, Mercury and Saturn in outer circles.
There are Biblical scenes of David with his sling, sheep and holding Goliath’s head in a bag.
There are other probable religious
scenes too: an Annunciation with a bird (Holy Spirit) hovering over the Madonna.
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| the Museum's explanation of the graffiti |
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| Davidd (sic) holding head of Goliath ? |
While
awaiting further research on the graffiti, we can only wonder what crime
the young Nicolo committed to be imprisoned in Viterbo and why he created this
fanciful world full of strange characters such as the enthroned figure in baggy bloomers (King/Pope?) flanked by angels.
Your clues, transcriptions and suggestions are welcome. Please share with friends who work in this sector.
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| a smaller piece of plaster contains further designs and text |
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| part of text Visit the Museum's website here. More stories and information about central Italy on my website For books about the area and its history. |
