The origins
Calabria has one of the first testimonies of parietal art in Italy, at the Grotta del Romito in Papasidero. The aurochs finely engraved in the rock take us back to the Palaeolithic. In addition to the prehistoric sites, the first Etruscan and then ancient pictorial expressions are preserved in the dedicated museums dotted around the south of the boot. The Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Basilicata "Dinu Adamesteanu" in Potenza covers the Palaeolithic and Roman periods through bronze statues, figurines, ceramics and weapons.
In the Basilicata region, Matera is famous for its sassi and rock churches. The troglodyte places of worship, embellished over the centuries, contain magnificent frescoes. The frescoes in the Santa Barbara church were painted in the 16th century by a famous anonymous artist: the Master of Santa Barbara.Byzantine culture
The Christian art that spread to these southern lands remained for a long time marked by the characteristics of Byzantine art. Byzantium dictated the pictorial codes in the three regions, even if these contributions impregnated Basilicata and some Calabrian villages more. In Puglia, only scattered fragments of sculptures remain from early Christian and Byzantine art. The mosaic tradition, inherited from ancient Greece, is exalted in the dome of the oratory of Casaranello, dated to the5th century. More than a stylistic influence, Byzantine culture reigned supreme between the 8th and 11th centuries, particularly in Calabria and around Otranto. As in the Chiesa di San Pietro, the series of mosaics or frescoes had the function of educating the people. To this end, the mosaicist monks reproduced timeless models, with the greatest respect for oriental canons and with remarkable ease. Precisely dated, these works reflect a tradition, not a personal expression. Southern Italy was the first centre of Byzantine painting, before the East, from the 10th to the 14th century. The most telling examples are the frescoes of Carpignano (10th century), Vaste or San Vito dei Normanni (12th century) and the chapel of San Stefano in Soleto. (13th and 14th centuries). The Byzantine style gradually evolves towards the pre-Renaissance
The Renaissance
At the end of the Middle Ages, great misery struck southern Italy. The contrast with the centre and the north, which were particularly flourishing, was decisive. This is why the innovations of the Renaissance barely touched the tip of Italy
The Museo Nazionale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna is a must-see in Matera, Basilicata. Its collection includes sacred art (paintings on canvas and wood, sculptures, objects), 300 paintings of the Neapolitan school from the 16th to the 18th century, as well as a section of contemporary art around the work of Carlo Levi (1902-1975) and the painter Luigi Guerricchio (1936-1996).
The Neapolitan school of painting
Naples exerted considerable influence from the 15th century onwards. However, the few local painters, influenced by the great Neapolitan names (Finoglio, Luca Giordano), do not constitute a current in their own right.
If the northern influence predominates, some regional painters stand out. Mattia Preti (1613-1699), the "Calabrian horseman", is one of the most famous 17th-century painters in Calabria. Some of his works can be seen in the church of San Domenico in Taverna. At the end of his life, Preti was promoted to official painter of the Knights of Malta. His painting is strongly influenced by the style of Caravaggio and Veronese.
Giovanni de Gregorio, known as Pietrafesa (1569-1636), decorated the convent of the Riformati in Tito and probably that of San Antonio in Rivello, Basilicata, with scenes from the lives of the saints and miracles. Some of the religious paintings of the Lucanian painter can be admired in Potenza.
Pietro Antonio Ferri is the other great Lucanian painter, whose works adorn the churches of Basilicata, including that of the Carmine of Tricarico. The Pinacoteca metropolitana di Bari houses one of the most important collections of paintings and sculptures in southern Italy, particularly from the Neapolitan school
From neoclassicism to impressionism
The artistic revival of southern Italy began in the 18th century with the emergence of neoclassical trends. Although Naples was no longer the political capital of the Mezzogiorno, it was nonetheless the instigator of a pictorial revival. Most of the great artists of the time were students of the Neapolitan school, which contributed to the development of well-known local artists such as the painters Moranno and Cefaly, the sculptor Lerace, the portraitist Salfi, all Calabrians, but also the Lucanian painter Giacomo de Chirico.
Corrado Giaquinto (1694-1765) is the undisputed master of 18th century Neapolitan painting (and that of Luca Giordano) in Puglia. His works illustrate the transition from Baroque to Neoclassicism. One of his most striking works, Rest during the Flight to Egypt
, is on display in the Louvre.But it was only in the 19th century that some artists found recognition beyond the Italian borders. Most of them came from Puglia.
Saverio Altamura, born in Foggia in 1826, participated in the naturalist movement founded in Naples by Domenico Morelli. He is one of the major figures of the "macchiaoli", future impressionists in the line of the French masters. Historical painting dominated his career. In 1861, he exhibited the painting that would make him famous: I Funerali di Buondelmonte
. A native of Barletta, Giuseppe de Nittis (1846-1884) embodied Italian impressionism. A friend of Degas, he acquired a certain notoriety in France within the Impressionist movement. His paintings were inspired by Japanese art and were noted for their refinement.Nowadays
Few big names resonate on the contemporary international scene. However, new cultural venues are tending to reverse the trend. Some artists do not need to enter a museum to exhibit, because here street art is a way of life. It infiltrates even the most remote villages. Born from official projects or impulses, the murals do not go unnoticed. A few tips to guide your wanderings?
Calabria is a pioneer in the field of urban renewal through street art. In 1981, theOperazione murales was launched by Nani Razatti and raised Diamante to the status of city of murals. Catanzaro hosts the Altrove Festival and its famous competition which earned it the title of Italian capital of street art 2016. Another special feature is that this village promotes religious tourism through street art! The village of Savuci has been adorned with a thousand colors under the impulse of fresco artists such as Massimo Sirelli and Leonardo Canistra
In Puglia, Lecce is not only the city of Barocco leccese. In addition to its churches and theatres, the old town is full of initiatives that play with the pink or golden hue of its facades. Head for the 167 district, the scene of a vast project headed by Don Gerardo Ippolito, priest of the Church of San Giovanni Battista. Some of the world's greatest names have joined this large-scale programme, which extends to the suburbs, such as the Stadio district.
Bari's city centre is home to vast frescoes. In Via Quintino Sella, a mural pays tribute to the composer Ennio Morricone, by Angela Matarrese, assisted by volunteers. A tour around San Cataldo never disappoints. A gentle start with the Muro della Gentilezza, a fresco created by three Bari artists: Angela Matarrese, Massimo Lembo and Mariella Valerio. The San Cataldo district is a perfect combination of iodine and graffiti in a mixed atmosphere that smells of the far south
Contemporary art can be appreciated at the Museo per la Fotografia - Pino Settanni. The museum is named after the artist who defined himself as "a painter with a camera". Born in 1949 in Taranto, he began his career with a series of photographs of southern Italy, which revealed his talent. More than 600 of Settanni's photographs are preserved here. The Museum of Contemporary Art Pino Pascali also pays tribute to a child of Puglia, affiliated with Arte Povera. The foundation awards a coveted prize every year and offers a programme of rare quality
In Matera, we can only recommend the MUSMA. In the heart of Palazzo Pomarici, this museum invites you to explore both a labyrinth of caves and local sculpture. Welcome to the land of all encounters!
