question for art history experts
Anna Henry
and I was hoping someone here may help. I believe it was an episode
of the A&E series "Unexplained". Unfortunately I only caught part of
the broadcast, so I am a bit sketchy on the details. The program
concerned a Medieval or Renaissance Italian artist who was persecuted
for some crime and found asylum in a monastery. There he seems to
have gone mad due to seclusion, and created fantastic works of art
using the skulls and bones he found in the catacombs. Apparently this
is a real place that still exists today. I am sorry I am so sketchy
on the details (no name, date, etc.), but that's why I turn to your
expertise. I would very much like to find out who this person was and
what the exact story is. It really peaked my curiosity on a subject I
confess I know very little about. Many thanks.
Afropea
You know, I saw this in Rome years ago! I'd never learned about it in my art
historical studies as I think it's more considered a curiosity than a work of
art. I discovered it in my guidebook, and I think you'd be more likely to find
it in something like that. Not sure if it was mentioned in Michelin or in
Access, but it may well be in any of them, as it is a tourist attraction. I
think Rick Steves even talks about it on his TV show.
Now it's been a while so I might be completely wrong about this. I think it's
not far in location from Bernini's St. Theresa (and I say this only because
where I stayed was walking distance from both of them). I thought it was later
than Renaissance or late Renaissance. I don't think it Medieval because of
style (unless it's 15th century). I also don't think it was the work of a
single artist nor that he was mad. I thought it was some sort of project by
the monks and they used the bones of earlier monks. OTH, I could be totally
wrong about this!
Since this is not an unusual site someone here probably might know the real
details. If not, next time I'm near a bookstore, I could run in and check the
guidebooks. That would be within the week.
It is pretty cool. As to whether or not it's "art" is debatable.
JMHO,
Eve
Søren Larsen
"Afropea" <afr...@aol.com> skrev i en meddelelse news:20020124112645...@mb-fb.aol.com...
It is in "Santa Maria della Concezione" on Via Veneto
Cheers
Soren Larsen
Renia
I've looked in my Rome and Vatican guide book which I bought there a couple of months ago. I can't see
anything. But in my little Cruise Guide there's a tiny section on the Via Veneto in Rome, which says: At
its lower end, close to Piazza Barberini is Santa Maria dealla Concezione, an unassuming Baroque church
whose crypt is decorated with the skeletons of 4,000 Capuchin monks.
Renia
Martin Reboul
Anna Henry wrote...
I have some 'lovely' photos of a place like this, absolutely peculiar - Goth
Heaven (or Goth Hell - what's the difference). As tastefully done as
possible I'd say, every bone in the right place, and bizarrely 'populated'
by a few Grim Reaper style seletons in monk habits, reclining in alcoves or
standing aimlessly around. It looks like the work of a madman - probably why
it's so good!
Then there's the Cappuchin monastery at Salerno in Sicily. Now that is
creepy - similar interior 'decor', but with rows of mummified bodies in
peculiar, lifelike poses, all dressed up and all grinning teeth and empty
eye sockets. Morbid is hardly the word. Makes the mummy room in Cairo Museum
look like a McDonalds kiddies section - one of the few places I really
wouldn't like to be locked in all night alone!
There is also a perfectly (and I mean perfectly) preserved body of a little
girl there, who was 'embalmed' by injection shortly after she died by the
family doctor. He used his own secret process, which he unfortunately failed
to record as he died shortly after and no-one knows how he did it. She looks
as if she's asleep, a dear little thing ... brought a tear even to my
callous eye... although she died in 1926. Can't say whether I 'approve' or
not somehow?
I'll scan and send some stuff if you want (well, it's a hobby!)?
Grim Cheers
Martin
Afropea
>I have some 'lovely' photos of a place like this, absolutely peculiar -
>Goth
>Heaven (or Goth Hell - what's the difference). As tastefully done as
>possible I'd say, every bone in the right place, and bizarrely 'populated'
>by a few Grim Reaper style seletons in monk habits, reclining in alcoves
>or
>standing aimlessly around. It looks like the work of a madman - probably
>why
>it's so good!
Actually, the place that Anna Henry is talking about (assuming we have the
right place in mind) had a very conventional decorative scheme. Things like
swags and putti, etc. The only peculiarity about them was that they were
constructed from monk bones. If you didn't look closely you might not even
realize their origin.
At least, that's how I remember them.
Eve
Binx
Afropea <afr...@aol.com> wrote in article
<20020125002029...@mb-ci.aol.com>...
>
> Actually, the place that Anna Henry is talking about (assuming we have
the
> right place in mind) had a very conventional decorative scheme. Things
like
> swags and putti, etc. The only peculiarity about them was that they
were
> constructed from monk bones. If you didn't look closely you might not
even
> realize their origin.
>
On the other hand, when you visit the Church of All Saints in Sedlec,
Czech Republic, it is all too obvious that the decorations are made of
skulls, femurs, tibia et al. The church is COVERED in them and several
chandeliers-made entirely of human bones-hang from the ceiling. A truly
bizarre experience (but unfortunately not medieval).
Cheers,
Teresa
Afropea
Interesting. Are they from the same period? I wonder if this was some sort of
bizarre fashion (or perhaps someone from one place saw the other and was
inspired?) I would think that this would be some sort of message about all
being vanity and a reminder of our death sort of thing.
Eve
Binx
Afropea <afr...@aol.com> wrote in article
<20020126105138...@mb-ce.aol.com>...
Me:
> >On the other hand, when you visit the Church of All Saints in Sedlec,
> >Czech Republic, it is all too obvious that the decorations are made of
> >skulls, femurs, tibia et al. The church is COVERED in them and several
> >chandeliers-made entirely of human bones-hang from the ceiling. A
truly
> >bizarre experience (but unfortunately not medieval).
Eve:
> Interesting. Are they from the same period? I wonder if this was some
sort of
> bizarre fashion (or perhaps someone from one place saw the other and was
> inspired?) I would think that this would be some sort of message about
all
> being vanity and a reminder of our death sort of thing.
The bone decorations were done in 1870 by a man called Rint who was a
wood-carver. They include a large coat of arms and a monstrance which I
hope was never used! The church itself is from 1400 but partially rebuilt
in the Baroque style in the early 1700s. There was a monastery nearby,
using the Cathedral of Our Lady. The monastery was abolished by Emperor
Joseph II and the property, including the Church of All Saints, was
purchased by the Schwarzenbergs-but I do not know if Church of All Saints
was de-sanctified at the time.
The ossuary attached to the church contained the bones of plague victims
and those killed during the Hussite wars. It was quite dusty and dingy
when I saw it in 1994, which only added to the gloomy effect. I wish I had
a scanner, I've a couple of evocative pictures of it-dozens of skulls
running up the ribs of the Gothic vaults, the pelvic bones in the
chandelier. Surely, they must be on-line somewhere?
Cheers,
Teresa
Binx
<01c1a726$165bdf00$LocalHost@default>...
. It was quite dusty and dingy
> when I saw it in 1994, which only added to the gloomy effect. I wish I
had
> a scanner, I've a couple of evocative pictures of it-dozens of skulls
> running up the ribs of the Gothic vaults, the pelvic bones in the
> chandelier. Surely, they must be on-line somewhere?
In fact here's a site!
http://www.ludd.luth.se/users/silver_p/kutna.html
Cheers
Afropea
entries which discuss the decorations at Santa Maria Concepzione. Many of the
entries include pictures.
I also looked in a few travel books. I never saw a mention of a single artist
and from one book it was suggested that this was an ongoing project that took
100s of years and used the bones of the monks from the order who had died.
It was also mentioned that there is a sign that says something on the order of
"as you are, we once were, as we are you will soon be." IMHO this wasn't the
work of any madman, rather something intentional and with cautionary
intentions.
Eve